Portuguese police have rubbished claims that German cops have made a breakthrough in the Madeleine McCann case after searches last week

Madeleine McCann disappeared from a holiday flat in Portugal (Image: PA)

Madeleine McCann investigators have confirmed no samples were sent back to Germany after last week’s new search. Portuguese sources today dismissed reports suggesting German police had taken fragments of bone and clothing out of the country and insisted all items found would be forensically analysed in Portugal.

They also responded to claims about the discovery of two guns, confirming objects were found but are likely unrelated to the Maddie investigation. One item is already part of a separate probe after being deemed “irrelevant” to the ongoing Madeleine McCann case.

A Portuguese investigator, who wished to remain anonymous, described the discovered objects as “The objects found are very old and very rusty,” likening them to “archaeological artefacts.”

Another insider revealed that one object has been ruled out in relation to the Maddie case, with a separate investigation launched to determine its origin and nature. Forensic analysis of bone fragments, believed to be from animals, and adult clothing pieces is being carried out at a scientific laboratory in Lisbon, with results to be sent to German prosecutors, Portuguese investigators insisted.

The insider added that German forensic officers were invited to attend the tests, although it remains unclear if they accepted the offer.

An insider revealed: “The feeling on the Portuguese side at least is that what’s been unearthed during last week’s searches is unlikely to have anything to do with the suspect Christian Brueckner or the Madeleine McCann investigation.”

But there is a separate ongoing inquiry in Portugal to the German one and Brueckner is a suspect in both countries although he hasn’t been formally charged in either.

“The idea is that Portuguese investigators check first whether anything relevant to their inquiry is found and all the results get sent back to Germany once the analysis has been done.”

Recent searches in Praia Da Luz did uncover some new items (Image: Horacio Villalobos, Getty Images)

German forensic experts have been invited to attend the tests in Portugal. They were shown some of the bones that were unearthed last week in a video-conferencing session but couldn’t come to any real conclusions about exactly what they were via the screen they were seeing them on.

“What we can say for sure is that no samples of any kind recovered during last week’s searches have been taken out of Portugal despite reports to the contrary.”

German prosecutors have declined to provide any information about the results of the search, which started last Tuesday near the dilapidated cottage where convicted paedophile Brueckner used to live and is close to the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz where Madeleine disappeared on May 3 2007.

The operation was concluded on Thursday evening after wells, ruins and water tanks on more than 20 privately-owned plots of land spanning a 120-acre area were inspected.

The German prosecutors stated: “The search operation conducted in Portugal last week has been completed as planned.”

No information can be provided at this time regarding the results of the investigation.

“Our sincere thanks go to all police officers involved in the search.”

The co-operation between the Portuguese police and the Federal Criminal Police Office was excellent and very constructive.

“We don’t want to say anymore at the moment.”

Christian Brueckner is the prime suspect in her disappearance (Image: Handout, Carabinieri Milano via Getty Images)

Luis Neves, the National Director of the Policia Judiciaria police force which in Portugal has been the lead police force in the hunt for Madeleine and whose officers worked along German counterparts at last week’s search, insisted last Friday it had “not been in vain” despite the apparent lack of results.

He said: “Nothing is in vain, not least because doors are being closed”.

At the last Madeleine McCann search in Portugal just over two years ago, when the Arade Dam a 40-minute drive from Praia da Luz was combed, German police who requested the operation did take back home with them samples believed to be mainly soil samples.

The remote dam was described at the time as Brueckner’s “little paradise.”

The May 2023 dam searches were the first major searches in Portugal for Madeleine McCann in nine years following an earlier June 2014 operation when British police were given permission to do digs in Praia da Luz that involved sniffer dogs trained in detecting bodies and ground-penetrating radar.

Those Scotland Yard digs were linked The prevailing theory of UK police at the time was that Madeleine perished during a burglary while her parents were dining on tapas nearby with friends, and the thieves disposed of her body.

They also failed to provide any evidence indicating the missing child’s location.

In a smaller operation in July 2020, Portuguese police and firefighters searched three wells for Madeleine’s body but found no trace of her.

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Last Friday, Portuguese daily Correio da Manha reported that German prosecutors had declined to investigate a couple suspected of hitting Madeleine McCann in a drink-driving accident.

Portuguese authorities called for an investigation into a British man and his German wife after his UK-based sister informed police in 2018 that she believed he could be hiding a sinister secret about Maddie’s disappearance, according to the newspaper.

However, it stated that German authorities rejected a Portuguese request to use an undercover police officer with a false identity to try to befriend the female suspect and confirm their suspicions that she was driving a car that struck Madeleine while under the influence of alcohol.

So far, there has been no official response from German, Portuguese or UK police to these allegations.

Christian Brueckner remains incarcerated in Germany where he is serving a seven-year sentence for rape.

The 48 year old convicted paedophile, who will be released from prison in September unless German prosecutors charge him over Maddie, denies any involvement in her disappearance.

His earliest possible release date is September.

17 – however, his solicitor stated that he would need to cough up €1,500 (£1,300) in unpaid fines from a string of motoring offences before he could depart.