UK spending $15,000 a day on security for WikiLeaks' Julian Assange

LONDON, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Maintaining security for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London has cost about $15 million.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said the ongoing protection for Assange was "sucking our resources" and said he was exploring different options on how to provide security. It's costing about $15,000 a day.

Assange has been at the embassy since June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sexual assault charges alleged by two women. A court in Sweden upheld an arrest warrant issued for Assange in November.

The WikiLeaks founder claims the charges are orchestrated to ultimately extradite him to the United States where he is wanted for questioning about the release of thousands of classified cables in 2010.

Last year, Scotland Yard confirmed that as of the end of October, U.K. taxpayers have spent about £9 million ($13 million) on Assange's protection. The costs are covered by the diplomatic protection budget that provides security for embassies in the U.K., according to Metropolitan Police.