Suspicious substance forces evacuation

The discovery of a suspicious substance in a package delivered to a building in downtown Auckland today sparked an evacuation.

Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said the cordon on Shortland St had been lifted by midday but she believed the building was still off limits while police investigated.

Police were notified around 9.20am that a package delivered to the Dorchester Building in Shortland St had been found to contain a suspicious substance.

The premises were evacuated and the road blocked off while emergency services secured the scene.

- NZPA