KUNMING - A new round of joint patrols on the Mekong River with law enforcement personnel from China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand started Tuesday, the 71st mission since 2011, to make the border river safer.

Ships set sail from Guanlei Port in Xishuangbanna, southwest China's Yunnan province, with patrols covering a total of 256 kilometers, according to Yunnan border police.

The patrols will target drug trafficking along the Mekong River, conducting random inspections of ships in waters near key regions including the Golden Triangle.

The joint patrols began in December 2011 to tackle security concerns after a gang hijacked two cargo ships and killed 13 Chinese sailors in Thai waters on Oct 5, 2011.