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Two individuals have been detained as a component of an inquiry into the tipping of many thousands of tonnes of waste in a rural field in Oxfordshire, England.

Authorities stated that a 69-year-old was detained at a property in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the massive heap of garbage tipped near the area of Kidlington.

These detentions follow a prior revelation which uncovered the presence of more than 500 unlawful tips in the country of England, encompassing at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A official for the regulatory body said that the detentions were for environment-related and proceeds of crime crimes and constituted a "crucial step" in active probes. The apprehended men have been let go on pre-trial release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The illegal site in Kidlington, situated between the Cherwell River and the A34, is estimated to house around 21,000 metric tons of rubbish in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) high.

This heap of garbage is made up of what seems to be sorted domestic refuse, chopped up plastic materials, expanded polystyrene, tyres and various household objects.

It constitutes just a single of 517 unlawful sites in England, at a minimum of 11 of which are estimated to hold more than 20,000 metric tons of waste. They include a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.

The total number of such major locations is likely to be higher, as the environmental body has previously acknowledged it does not hold information on tonnage for every illegal tip.

Most such locations are in countryside locations, often hidden, and on land that is intended to be arable land.

Organised Operations

Authorities state many are managed by organised crime gangs, who are making cash by demanding much less than legitimate operators to take and dispose of waste.

Businesses have to incur gate fees to use legitimate disposal sites, based on the volume and category of waste they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also levied at just over £126 per tonne.

Local Outrage

Initial work to remove the affected location commenced recently following fears over the risk of fire and the impact that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A private waste clearance contractor has been given the contract to handle the location over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement official for the country's environment division stated that the agency would be aiming to recover the clean-up expenses under proceeds of crime acts from any individual successfully found guilty at the conclusion of its ongoing investigation.

She added that this week's arrests would help "move the inquiry forward" and allow officials to "investigate more avenues to ascertain exactly what occurred and who was a party to it".

"This unlawful site at this location was an atrocious and deliberate assault on our environment and we understand the public's frustration at this horrific crime," she stated.

A cabinet official welcomed the arrests, adding: "The illegal deposit of waste at Kidlington is appalling and has caused substantial damage to the environment and upset to the local population.

"Our government is committed to stamping out this type of illegal activity across the country, by increasing financing to address waste crime, employing more staff and introducing more severe controls and fines for those who violate the regulations."

The apprehensions were carried out on a recent Thursday by agents from a specialist serious crime unit and follow an prior arrest of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area region in the autumn. He was released awaiting additional investigations.