Police say a suspicious package that resulted in a section of Hamilton's CBD being evacuated was not dangerous.

People are being allowed back into the Centre Place Mall which was cordoned off after a suspicious package was found.

Part of Hamilton's Ward St was also closed to the public while police investigated, with people warned to stay away.

Christel Yardley People have been evacuated after a suspicious package was found in a central Hamilton building.

Officers in white clothing were seen near the Centreplace mall from Ward St and one was observed carrying something from the area. People were allowed back through the cordoned area just before 1pm.

The Centre Place carpark had been closed, with people were unable to get their cars out during the lockdown.

The suspicious item was found inside the ANZ bank just before 9am, senior sergeant Rupert Friend said.

1 of 2 Nancy El-Gamel The police bomb squad investigates a suspicious package in Hamilton's CBD on Thursday. 2 of 2 Nancy El-Gamel The police bomb squad investigates a suspicious package in Hamilton's CBD on Thursday.

The immediate area around the bank was evacuated and cordoned off as a precaution.

Senior sergeant Damion Rangitutia could not confirm if the package had been removed from the bank, but said it wasn't dangerous.

There was no reason at this stage in the investigation to believe a similar incident at a Hamilton IRD office last week and this morning's drama were linked and Rangitutia said the public had no need to be concerned.

ANZ is now open as usual. The bank had not opened for business in the morning before staff were evacuated.

Earlier Audrey Faurite, a 31-year-old French national studying English and tourism at a central Hamilton institute by Centre Place said she and her dozen classmates were told to evacuate quickly.

She left her coat and bike-lock keys inside the class thinking the drama would soon be over but had since been told by her tutor to head home as it would be at least 1pm before anyone might be allowed back into the area.

This is the second time in two weeks that part of the CBD has been locked down due to a suspicious package.

On June 5 Hamilton City Centre was blocked by police for five hours after a suspicious bag was found in the IRD building on Bryce Street in Hamilton. It was later destoyed by the bomb disposal unit.

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