Citing its own information as well as sources from German public broadcasters WDR and NDR on Wednesday, the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reports that officials from Germany's Federal Criminal Police Agency (BKA) and the public prosecutor's office are conducting a search in the apartment of a Berlin man. There is initial suspicion that the man is working as a spy.

The federal prosecutor's office has confirmed that a search is under way.

The SZ reports that Wednesday's investigation is being seen by observers as "more serious" than a different investigation that began last week. In that case, officials are investigating a man who admitted to delivering documents to the CIA two years ago in exchange for 25,000 euros.

According to the paper, the two cases are independent of each other.

mz/ipj (dpa, SZ)