KUNMING, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The 75th joint patrol on the Mekong River, with law enforcers from China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, started Tuesday.

Eight vessels and more than 100 law enforcement personnel participated in the patrol between China's Guanlei port and waters near the Golden Triangle.

The patrol targets drug trafficking along the Mekong River and will conduct random inspections of ships in waters near key regions, including the Golden Triangle.

During the joint patrol, law enforcers will hold a meeting to review the current security and hydrological situation of the Mekong River in Myanmar.

Joint patrols started in December 2011 to tackle safety concerns after a gang hijacked two cargo ships and killed 13 Chinese sailors in Thai waters on Oct. 5, 2011.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River at the Chinese stretch, runs through China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and is an important waterway for transnational shipping.