Five vessels joined the four-day patrol that will involve inspections, a crackdown on drug crimes in key waters, including the "Golden Triangle," an area notorious for drug production.

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(Photo for illustration)

The joint patrol started in December 2011 after a gang hijacked two cargo ships and killed 13 Chinese sailors in Thai waters on October 5, 2011.

According to the Yunnan provincial Department of Public Security, a total of over 12,600 officers and 673 vessels joining in the past 79 missions have imposed a powerful deterrence and dealt a hefty blow to crimes on the river.

The Mekong River is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping among China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Source: VNA