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A pair of individuals have been arrested as part of an investigation into the illegal deposit of thousands of tonnes of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Authorities reported that a 69-year-old was detained at a dwelling in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough in connection with the massive mound of garbage tipped near the area of Kidlington.

These detentions come after a prior investigation which uncovered the operation of over 500 unlawful sites across England, featuring at minimum 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the regulatory body commented that the detentions were for environmental and proceeds of crime crimes and represented a "key step" in ongoing inquiries. Both men have been let go on bail.

Size of the Problem

The dump in the Kidlington area, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34, is thought to house around 21,000 metric tons of refuse in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) tall.

This heap of garbage is consists of what appears to be processed household refuse, fragmented plastics, Styrofoam, tires and assorted everyday objects.

It is just a single of 517 illegal tips in England, at minimum 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 tonnes of garbage. Such sites feature a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.

The actual number of such bigger sites is probably to be larger, as the environmental agency has earlier stated it does not possess records on volume for all illegal site.

Most sites are in countryside settings, typically hidden, and on land that is zoned as agricultural property.

Organized Operations

Law enforcement say many are run by criminal organizations, who are making profit by charging significantly less than licensed companies to accept and dispose of waste.

Businesses have to incur site fees to use lawful disposal sites, based on the quantity and nature of material they are trying to discard, and landfill tax is also levied at just over £126 per ton.

Local Outrage

Preparation operations to clear the Kidlington dump started earlier this month following worries over the threat of fire and the impact that would have on the nearby major road.

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

An investigations manager for the government environmental crime division stated that the body would be aiming to claim back the clean-up expenses under asset recovery laws from any individual found guilty at the conclusion of its ongoing investigation.

She added that the recent apprehensions would help "move the inquiry forward" and allow authorities to "investigate more lines of inquiry to determine precisely what transpired and who was involved".

"This unauthorized tip at Kidlington was an atrocious and intentional affront on our natural surroundings and officials understand the public's frustration at this horrific crime," she stated.

A senior official supported the arrests, adding: "This unlawful dumping of waste at the site is disgraceful and has resulted in considerable detriment to the environment and anguish to the nearby residents.

"The administration is committed to eradicating this category of criminality in the nation, by boosting resources to tackle environmental crime, recruiting more staff and implementing stricter controls and penalties for those who violate the law."

The detentions were executed on a recent Thursday by agents from a dedicated serious crime unit and come after an prior detention of a man in his thirties from the Surrey region in last November. He was set free subject to further enquiries.