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A pair of individuals have been detained as an element of an probe into the illegal deposit of several thousand of metric tons of waste in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement stated that a man in his late sixties was apprehended at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in the town of Slough in association with the massive pile of garbage deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These apprehensions occur a week after a recent investigation which revealed the operation of over 500 illegal sites across England, encompassing at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 tons.

A official for the regulatory authorities commented that the detentions were for ecological and financial offences and constituted a "key step" in continuing inquiries. The apprehended men have been released on bail.

Scale of the Issue

The tipping ground in the Kidlington area, located between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is thought to hold approximately 21,000 metric tons of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of rubbish is made up of what appears to be treated domestic waste, shredded plastic materials, Styrofoam, tyres and assorted household objects.

It constitutes just a single of 517 illegal dumps throughout England, at a minimum of 11 of which hold more than 20,000 tonnes of garbage. Such sites include a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The total figure of such bigger locations is likely to be higher, as the environment authority has in the past stated it does not maintain records on weight for each unlawful dump.

A large proportion of these sites are in rural locations, often concealed, and on land that is zoned as farm land.

Organised Enterprise

Law enforcement report a significant number are managed by organized crime groups, who are making money by demanding far less than licensed companies to accept and landfill garbage.

Companies have to pay site fees to use legitimate landfill sites, contingent on the quantity and nature of waste they are trying to get rid of, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per ton.

Community Frustration

Preparatory operations to clean up the affected location began recently amid worries over the potential of fire and the impact that would have on the nearby A-road.

A commercial clean-up contractor has been granted the contract to remediate the site over the next 12 months period at a price of £9.6m.

An compliance manager for the national regulatory unit commented that the body would be seeking to claim back the clean-up costs under confiscation laws from anyone prosecuted at the end of its current inquiry.

She further stated that these apprehensions would help "move the investigation forward" and permit officials to "pursue more lines of inquiry to determine precisely what occurred and who was a party to it".

"The illegal tip at the site was an appalling and deliberate affront on our environment and the authorities share the community's anger at this egregious act," she said.

A senior official supported the arrests, stating: "The unauthorized deposit of rubbish at this location is disgraceful and has caused significant damage to the environment and upset to the surrounding residents.

"The government is committed to stamping out this kind of crime across the UK, by augmenting resources to combat illegal dumping, recruiting more staff and enacting tougher measures and penalties for those who violate the regulations."

The arrests were carried out on Thursday by agents from a specialist organised crime team and come after an prior detention of a man in his thirties from the Surrey region in the autumn. He was released subject to additional inquiries.