A package which contained a hand grenade was found at Auckland International Airport's mail center on Thursday, causing an evacuation, New Zealand media reported.

The bomb squad was called on Thursday morning and the package had since been removed to be examined, the New Zealand Press Association reported.

The grenade was handed over to the armed forces explosives ordnance disposal team.

It is not clear whether a warning was received before the package was found.

The mail center is some way away from the main airport and flights were not affected.

(Xinhua News Agency August 13, 2009)