"Wiltshire Police operational costs for two Novichok incidents in Salisbury and Amesbury are expected to reach more than £10 million pounds … Wiltshire Police had to request mutual aid support from police forces across the country in order to meet the extraordinary demand placed on the force after two major incidents were declared in the space of four months," the police said in a statement.
The police expect that the expenditure will be covered by the central UK government, according to the statement.
"I am grateful that the Government has already pledged £4.1million pounds towards the costs incurred by Wiltshire Police during the investigation into the attack on Yulia and Sergei Skripal … I fully expect all costs associated with these unparalleled incidents to be met by the government," Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon Angus Macpherson said, as quoted in the statement.
READ MORE: OPCW Assistance Requested by UK on Salisbury Case Lacks Transparency — Embassy
Shortly after, the UK police announced that the couple, Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, were believed to have handled an item allegedly contaminated with the same military-grade nerve agent, which was allegedly used in an attack on the Skripals in Salisbury. On July 8, Sturgess died at the hospital, while Rowley was soon discharged from the medical facility.
The United Kingdom and its allies have accused Moscow of having orchestrated the attack with what UK experts claim was the A234 nerve agent, without presenting any proof. Russian authorities have strongly refuted the allegations as groundless.
READ MORE: OPCW Accepts UK Request to Confirm Identity of Nerve Agent in Amesbury Incident
