MORE than 141 million yuan (US$21.4 million) in public funds in Shenzhen was misappropriated in 2010, the city auditing bureau said Wednesday.

The bureau examined the performances of 2,595 units and recovered or avoided the loss of 1.27 billion yuan, bureau chief Chen Qianwen told a meeting.

The auditors helped reduce the cost of government-funded projects by 3.8 billion yuan, Chen said.

The bureau audited 86 officials in government departments, institutions and enterprises and three have been transferred to the judiciary for further investigation.

The auditing agency examined major projects including Fulong Road, Metro construction, Universiade venues and school projects last year. Three construction companies were exposed for using invalid receipts to pay 70 million yuan to contractors.