Espionage in Germany

The man, who was detained near the western city of Düsseldorf, is believed to have acquired weapons equipment in other parts of Europe using a shell company as a front, the office of the federal prosecutor said in a statement.

It did not say which countries were involved or whether the suspect was a German citizen.

Investigators said that items bought included testing equipment and spare parts, which were picked up by a Bavarian trucking company at sites belonging to their foreign manufacturers.

The companies were told that the goods were bound for other European countries. However the equipment was to be brought overseas without the necessary official approvals, the statement said.

Investigation underway

The prosecutor's office, based in the south-western city of Karlsruhe, said it was investigating on suspicion of foreign espionage and violation of export laws. The man has been remanded in custody.

Authorities searched the offices of the Bavarian trucking company and two homes in the state as well as several sites in the Düsseldorf region.

It said that there had also been raids abroad and property seized, without providing further details.

The exports were described only as "goods, technical testing equipment and spare parts."

Police searched the premises of the transport company, two homes in Bavaria state, offices and homes in the Düsseldorf area and a home abroad. Money used in the transaction was seized from bank accounts outside Germany.

The prosecutors said the accused had succeeded "numerous times" since December 2005 in obtaining sensitive products using this trick. The manufacturers thought the equipment was bound for Germany.