The raids focused on a landslide at a mine during last July's deadly floods. Although no one died at the site, the image of the gaping muddy crater was etched in the memory of those who survived and sparked a probe.
The past 12 months wasn't just about COVID-19. From the insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington to the refugee drama on the Poland-Belarus border to the end of the Merkel era, DW looks back at an eventful year.
Photos from Bad Münstereifel, in Euskirchen, Germany show the town three months after this year s floods. It was one of the worst hit in the natural disaster this summer.
The mid-July flash floods in Erftstadt-Blessem caused severe damage and swept away several houses, leaving behind a huge crater. The Dunkel family house is still standing.