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A pair of individuals have been detained as a component of an probe into the dumping of several thousand of tonnes of rubbish in a rural field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Officials stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in the town of Slough in relation with the huge mound of rubbish dumped near Kidlington.

These apprehensions occur a week after a recent report which uncovered the presence of over 500 illegal sites in the country of England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A official for the environment authorities commented that the detentions were for ecological and financial crimes and constituted a "crucial step" in ongoing inquiries. Both men have been released on pre-trial release.

Scale of the Issue

The dump in the Kidlington area, situated between the Cherwell River and the A34 road, is thought to hold approximately 21,000 metric tons of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of garbage is consists of what looks to be treated household refuse, fragmented plastics, polystyrene, automobile tires and other domestic objects.

It constitutes just one example of 517 unlawful sites across England, at least 11 of which are estimated to hold more than 20,000 tonnes of garbage. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The actual figure of such bigger sites is likely to be higher, as the environment authority has earlier indicated it does not hold information on tonnage for each unauthorized dump.

A large proportion of these sites are in countryside locations, frequently hidden, and on land that is zoned as arable land.

Criminal Operations

Law enforcement say many are run by organized crime groups, who are making cash by charging significantly less than legitimate operators to accept and landfill garbage.

Businesses have to pay site fees to use licensed landfill sites, depending on the volume and nature of waste they are trying to get rid of, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per metric ton.

Community Outrage

Preparation efforts to clear the Kidlington area dump started earlier this month due to worries over the risk of fire and the effect that would have on the close-by major road.

A commercial waste removal contractor has been given the contract to handle the location over the next 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.

An compliance manager for the country's environment unit said that the agency would be seeking to recover the remediation expenses under confiscation legislation from any individual prosecuted at the conclusion of its active case.

She further stated that these detentions would help "push the inquiry forward" and allow authorities to "investigate more leads to understand in detail what transpired and who was involved".

"This unlawful site at this location was an appalling and intentional affront on our environment and the authorities understand the local frustration at this horrific offence," she stated.

A cabinet representative supported the actions, stating: "The unauthorized deposit of rubbish at the site is disgraceful and has led to significant detriment to the ecology and distress to the local community.

"The administration is committed to eliminating this type of criminality throughout the UK, by augmenting resources to combat waste crime, employing more personnel and implementing tougher measures and fines for those who break the law."

The apprehensions were carried out on a recent Thursday by agents from a dedicated serious crime squad and follow an earlier apprehension of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area region in the autumn. He was let go subject to further enquiries.