108th Mekong River joint patrol completed

KUNMING - The 108th joint Mekong River patrol by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand concluded on Friday, with three Chinese law-enforcement vessels returning home to a port in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The three vessels navigated over 500 km over four days and three nights, said the Yunnan provincial public security department.

The patrol targeted cross-border crimes, including illegal immigration, drug smuggling, criminal telecommunications and illegal internet activities in the Mekong River basin.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping.

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have been carrying out joint patrols on the Mekong River since December 2011.