KUNMING — Law-enforcement authorities from China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand joined forces on Feb 22 for the 114th Mekong River joint patrol.

The Chinese vessels departed at 9 am on Feb 22 from Jingha Port in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Yunnan province, said the press office of Yunnan provincial public security department.

Five vessels from the four countries will navigate over 600 km in four days and three nights during the latest joint operation.

Law-enforcement departments from the countries cracked 8,325 cases of various types in 2021 while arresting 8,043 criminal suspects and seizing 34.4 tons of drugs in the border areas along the Mekong River.

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