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Two individuals have been taken into custody as an element of an investigation into the illegal deposit of several thousand of tons of rubbish in a open field in Oxfordshire, England.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was detained at a dwelling in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in the town of Slough in relation with the massive mound of waste deposited near Kidlington.

These detentions follow a recent revelation which revealed the operation of in excess of 500 unlawful sites across the country of England, encompassing at least 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the environmental authorities stated that the arrests were for environmental and financial violations and constituted a "crucial step" in ongoing probes. The two individuals have been set free on pre-trial release.

Size of the Problem

The tipping ground in near Kidlington, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to hold around 21,000 tons of waste in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) high.

This heap of garbage is made up of what appears to be treated residential rubbish, fragmented plastic items, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and assorted household items.

It represents just a single of 517 illegal dumps throughout England, at a minimum of 11 of which are estimated to hold over 20,000 tonnes of rubbish. These include a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The overall number of such larger locations is likely to be larger, as the environmental authority has previously acknowledged it does not hold information on volume for all unauthorized dump.

Most these sites are in rural settings, frequently concealed, and on land that is zoned as arable property.

Organised Operations

Law enforcement report a significant number are run by organized crime groups, who are making money by asking for significantly less than lawful companies to receive and bury garbage.

Firms have to pay disposal fees to use legitimate disposal sites, contingent on the amount and category of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and a waste tax is also levied at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Frustration

Preparatory work to remove the Kidlington site began earlier this month following worries over the threat of fire and the effect that would have on the nearby A-road.

A commercial waste clearance firm has been granted the task to remediate the area over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations officer for the country's environment division stated that the body would be seeking to claim back the clearance expenses under confiscation laws from any individual found guilty at the termination of its ongoing investigation.

She further stated that the recent arrests would help "move the inquiry forward" and permit authorities to "follow more leads to ascertain in detail what occurred and who was a party to it".

"The unauthorized site at this location was an appalling and deliberate assault on our ecology and officials understand the community's anger at this horrific crime," she said.

A government minister welcomed the detentions, stating: "The illegal deposit of garbage at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has resulted in substantial harm to the ecology and upset to the surrounding population.

"Our government is dedicated to eradicating this category of criminality in the UK, by increasing resources to address waste crime, recruiting more staff and introducing tougher controls and penalties for those who break the law."

The arrests were carried out on a recent Thursday by officers from a dedicated organised crime unit and follow an prior arrest of a 39-year-old from the Surrey region in November. He was let go subject to additional inquiries.