WELLINGTON, May 21, 2009 (AFP) - New Zealand police said Thursday they had launched an
international hunt for a couple who fled after reportedly having millions of dollars mistakenly paid into their bank account.

Reports said an Asian couple who ran a petrol station in the northern city of Rotorua had fled overseas after Westpac bank mistakenly deposited NZ$10 million (S$8.8 million) in their account.

Police and the bank refused to say how much money was withdrawn or give any details of the couple, but the bank said it was "pursuing vigorous criminal and civil action".

Rotorua police Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey said the bank had recovered some of the money.

'The individuals associated with this account are believed to have left New Zealand and police were working through Interpol to locate those individuals,' he said.

A Westpac spokesman said human error was responsible for the windfall.