KUNMING, July 24  -- Laos awarded nine Chinese policemen "hero" medals on Thursday for their contributions in cracking down on cross-border crimes, according to local police bureau in Yunnan Province.

The policemen from the Xishuangbanna Prefecture, either helped improve China-Laos cooperation or made contributions to solving a murder case that involved the killing of 13 sailors on the Mekong in 2011.

More than 80 people attended the award ceremony.