Convicted Russian pedophile Alexander Trofimov will be deported to his native country, police said yesterday.

Deputy national police chief Sok Phal said Trofimov, also known as Stanislav Molodyakov, was being detained by police, and authorities were waiting on the Russian Embassy to process his immigration documents.

“He must not stay in Cambodia. We must deport him following the order from the Ministry of Interior and Cambodian immigration law,” he said.

When asked if Trofimov would face trial for child sex abuses in Russia, he said he did not know and referred the question to the Russian Embassy, which de­clined to comment.

Spokesman for the US Embassy, Sean McIntosh, meanwhile, said Cambodia’s decision to deport Trofimov reinforced the Kingdom’s efforts to combat child sex tourism and human trafficking.

“The Royal Government’s decision to now facilitate the convicted pedophile’s home country’s efforts to prosecute him demonstrates Cambodia’s interest in preserving that credibility,” he said by email.

Trofimov was arrested on Monday in Kandal province’s Ponhea Leu commune at the house of a 12-year-old girl whom he had allegedly abused, on the basis of an order issued by the Ministry of Interior to arrest and deport him.

He was released from jail in December following a Royal pardon, having served half of his eight-year sentence.

He had been convicted of sexually abusing 17 Cambodian girls between 2005 and 2007, and is wanted by Interpol for raping six girls in Russia.

To contact the reporters on this story: Chhay Channyda at [email protected]

Cassandra Yeap at [email protected]