Police on Saturday arrested a Russian man who was found stealing cassava from a farm in Ratanakkiri province’s Andong Meas district, suspecting that he illegally crossed into Cambodia from Vietnam on foot.
District police chief Sovan Phin said his officers arrested the Russian national—whose passport identified him as Vassily Dorokhov, 35—after being contacted by residents of Malik commune, who spotted him plucking the tubers from the ground and putting them in a bag.
“I don’t know where he came from exactly, but villagers told us he walked here from Lumphat district,” he said Sunday, adding that police believe the Russian likely first entered the country through Mondolkiri province.
Mr. Phin said that following his arrest, Mr. Dorokhov was sent to the Ratanakkiri provincial police station for questioning.
“Mr. Dorokhov told us that he came from Siem Reap province and had been staying in Andong Meas district for a few days,” provincial police chief Nguon Koeun said.
“We cannot conclusively say where he came from because it is difficult to get information out of him, as he seems to be a person with mental problems.”
Maj. Gen. Koeun said Mr. Dorokhov was sent to the Interior Ministry’s immigration department in Phnom Penh on Sunday.
