Macau’s number of suspicious transaction reports (STR) rose by more than one-quarter last year, according to the local financial watchdog.

Macau’s Financial Intelligence Office (GIF) recently issued a report showing that it received a total of 2,321 STRs last year, up 28.4% from 2015’s total. Of the 2016 total, GIF sent 240 STRs to Macau’s Public Prosecution Office for further investigation.

Macau’s gaming sector accounted for 1,546 STRs in 2016, up 24% year-on-year. However, the gaming sector’s share of the overall STR pie was down 2.4 points to a devilish 66.6%, as the number of STRs related to financial institutions and insurance companies reported even larger growth, rising over 38% year-on-year to 696.

The GIF also reported receiving 79 STRs from ‘other institutions,’ which it describes as being predominantly “merchants of high value products.” This category’s 2016 figure was also up over 38% year-on-year.