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Two individuals have been taken into custody as an element of an inquiry into the dumping of many thousands of tons of waste in a rural field in Oxfordshire.

Officials stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a property in the town of Andover, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in Slough in relation with the enormous mound of rubbish dumped near the area of Kidlington.

These detentions come after a recent revelation which revealed the existence of over 500 illegal sites across England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A official for the environmental body stated that the detentions were for environmental and money laundering crimes and were a "vital step" in active inquiries. The apprehended men have been let go on bail.

Scale of the Issue

The dump in the Kidlington area, located between the River Cherwell and the A34, is thought to hold about 21,000 tonnes of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

This pile of garbage is consists of what seems to be treated domestic rubbish, chopped up plastics, polystyrene, tires and various everyday articles.

It constitutes just a single of 517 unlawful tips throughout the country, at minimum 11 of which contain more than 20,000 tons of rubbish. Such sites include a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The total amount of such major locations is likely to be greater, as the regulatory body has previously indicated it does not hold information on weight for each unauthorized site.

A large proportion of sites are in rural settings, typically out of sight, and on land that should be agricultural ground.

Criminal Operations

Authorities state a significant number are run by organized crime groups, who are making profit by demanding much less than legitimate companies to receive and dispose of rubbish.

Firms have to pay gate fees to use legitimate landfill sites, based on the amount and type of waste they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also charged at just over £126 per ton.

Community Frustration

Initial operations to clear the Kidlington dump started earlier this month amid worries over the threat of blaze and the consequences that would have on the nearby major road.

A contracted waste removal firm has been granted the job to handle the area over the coming 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the national environmental crime division said that the authority would be aiming to claim back the clearance expenses under confiscation laws from any party successfully found guilty at the conclusion of its ongoing case.

She added that the recent detentions would help "push the investigation forward" and enable officials to "pursue more lines of inquiry to determine exactly what occurred and who was involved".

"The unauthorized dump at this location was an shocking and intentional assault on our natural surroundings and the authorities understand the public's outrage at this terrible offence," she stated.

A government representative praised the detentions, stating: "The illegal dumping of waste at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has led to significant detriment to the natural world and upset to the nearby residents.

"The administration is committed to eliminating this kind of crime across the country, by increasing funds to combat illegal dumping, hiring more officers and enacting tougher controls and penalties for those who break the law."

The detentions were carried out on Thursday by officers from a dedicated crime team and are in addition to an prior apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in the autumn. He was set free subject to further enquiries.