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Two men have been arrested as a component of an investigation into the tipping of thousands of metric tons of waste in a open field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement indicated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was detained in Slough, Berkshire in association with the huge pile of rubbish dumped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These detentions occur a week after a prior investigation which revealed the operation of in excess of 500 unlawful dumps across England, including at minimum 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 tons.

A official for the regulatory authorities said that the detentions were for environment-related and financial offences and were a "vital step" in ongoing probes. The two individuals have been set free on pre-trial release.

Size of the Issue

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, situated between the Cherwell River and the A34, is believed to hold approximately 21,000 tons of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) in height.

This pile of garbage is consists of what seems to be processed domestic refuse, chopped up plastic materials, polystyrene, tyres and assorted everyday objects.

It is just one example of 517 unauthorized dumps in the country, at a minimum of 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 metric tons of waste. They encompass a 280,000-tonne site in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The actual number of such larger sites is likely to be higher, as the regulatory authority has previously stated it does not hold records on weight for each unauthorized dump.

The majority such locations are in rural settings, typically concealed, and on land that is zoned as agricultural property.

Organised Enterprise

Law enforcement say a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are earning profit by charging much less than legitimate operators to receive and bury rubbish.

Firms have to be liable for gate fees to use legitimate landfill sites, contingent on the quantity and category of material they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also applied at just over £126 per ton.

Local Frustration

Preparatory operations to clean up the Kidlington dump started earlier this month due to worries over the potential of fire and the impact that would have on the close-by major road.

A contracted waste clearance firm has been given the task to deal with the area over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement official for the national environment division stated that the body would be aiming to claim back the clearance funds under proceeds of crime laws from any party successfully prosecuted at the conclusion of its active investigation.

She further stated that these arrests would help "drive the inquiry forward" and enable the agency to "investigate more leads to understand exactly what occurred and who was involved".

"The unauthorized tip at the site was an shocking and calculated affront on our natural surroundings and the authorities empathize with the community's outrage at this egregious crime," she said.

A senior minister praised the detentions, stating: "This unauthorized deposit of garbage at the site is utterly appalling and has caused considerable harm to the natural world and distress to the nearby community.

"The authorities is pledged to stamping out this kind of criminality throughout the UK, by augmenting resources to tackle waste crime, employing more personnel and implementing tougher controls and fines for those who violate the rules."

The arrests were made on the specified day by personnel from a specialist organised crime unit and follow an earlier detention of a man in his thirties from the Surrey region in last November. He was set free pending further enquiries.