The investigation and decontamination of the incident has so far cost UK police forces £7.5 million (over US$10 million at the current GBP/USD exchange rate), the BBC reported today, citing the local police and crime commissioner (PCC.)
READ MORE: Russia Ready to Provide Any Assistance for Yulia Skripal’s Return Home — Moscow
As well as revealing the cost of the operation, PCC Angus Macpherson insisted that the UK government must make good on its promise to foot the bill and warned the operation’s cost could rise further.
“[It’s a] national operation which must be paid for nationally. I don't want anyone to forget the undertaking of Policing Minister Nick Hurd when he said [the British government] would meet the costs," PCC Macpherson said on Monday.
The regional PCC also thanked Salisbury’s residents for “showing their resilience.”
Meanwhile, Kier Pritchard, Wiltshire Police’s chief constable, praised all of the forces for their assistance and said the “unprecedented incident” was dealt with the “very best of UK policing.”
In addition to the cost of the police operation itself, the incident has had other adverse financial consequences, with the local economy suffering due to business closures.
In response to local businesses facing plummeting revenues, of up to 80 percent in some cases, the government has dished out a quarter of a million pounds in financial aid in recent weeks.
Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the incident, and opted to pursue retaliatory measures against the sanctioning states.
READ MORE: Salisbury Medics Say They Thought Skripals Were on Opioids
