Police searching for missing British girl Madeleine McCann have revealed that they "seized a number of items" during last week's search of a reservoir in Portugal.
On May 3, 2007, three-year-old Madeleine mysteriously disappeared from a vacation apartment in Portugal while her parents, Kate, and Gerry McCann, were at a nearby tapas restaurant.
The ordeal turned into an international media frenzy as the young girl's family and people across the globe campaigned tirelessly for answers regarding her disappearance.
Unfortunately 16 years on, the case has not come to an end as Madeleine remains missing. However, the search for her is far from over as last week, police divers launched an investigation into the Barragem do Arade reservoir in Portugal - which is located roughly 31 miles (50km) from where the toddler went missing.
German police were said to be leading the search, as they continue their inquiry into 45-year-old Christian Brueckner - an official suspect in the case.
Per CBS News, German police released the following statement: "As part of the investigation into the case of Madeleine McCann there are currently measures related to the criminal process taking place in Portugal."
"The measures are being implemented [...] by the Portuguese law enforcement authorities with the support of officers of the [German] Federal Criminal Police Office. Further information on the background will not be released at this time," they added.
According to officials, Brueckner - who was reportedly living in a camper van near Praia da Luz at the time of Maddie's disappearance - referred to the location as a "little piece of paradise," which is why detectives are determined to confirm their suspicions that he is responsible for her kidnapping, per Daily Mail.
Investigators recently dug eight deep holes to collect samples of soil, which have been sent for forensic and DNA testing in Germany and have confirmed that a "number of items" were seized during the search.
German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters shared the update (via Sky News), which read: "It is not yet possible to say whether some of the items are actually related to the Madeleine McCann case," but thanked police from the UK, Portugal, and staff at Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office for "excellent and very constructive" cooperation.
"The investigations conducted here in Braunschweig against the 46-year-old suspect are expected to continue for some time," the statement added.
The three-day operation around the Arade reservoir in the Algarve concluded last week. As reported by BBC News, law enforcement revealed that all materials recovered during that time have now been analyzed but nothing has been announced yet.
Brueckner is currently in jail for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in the same area where Maddie went missing. He has not been charged with any crime related to the disappearance.
He has always denied any involvement.
