KUNMING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The 157th joint Mekong River patrol by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand concluded on Tuesday, the public security department of southwest China's Yunnan Province announced on Wednesday.

More than 100 law-enforcement personnel and seven patrol vessels from the four countries were involved in the latest joint patrol of the river.

The mission targeted cross-border crimes such as online gambling, telecom fraud, and drug production and trafficking, with the aim of maintaining the safety of the waterways.

During the patrol, law enforcement agencies from the four countries held an information exchange meeting in Muang Mo, Laos, to analyze the security situation in the Lancang-Mekong river basin. Focusing on practical areas such as coordinated command and emergency response, they conducted joint training exercises in key sections of the Mekong River.

Additionally, three Laotian law enforcement vessels arrived in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan on Tuesday and, as scheduled, conducted a friendly visit to the water patrol division of the Yunnan provincial public security department.

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 conducting joint patrols of the river since December 2011. ■