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Two individuals have been taken into custody as a component of an inquiry into the tipping of many thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a rural field in Oxfordshire, England.

Officials reported that a 69-year-old was detained at a property in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough in relation with the huge heap of garbage dumped near the area of Kidlington.

These arrests come after a prior revelation which exposed the operation of more than 500 illegal tips throughout England, encompassing at least 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A official for the environment body commented that the arrests were for ecological and money laundering violations and were a "key step" in ongoing inquiries. The two individuals have been let go on bail.

Size of the Situation

The tipping ground in near Kidlington, located between the River Cherwell and the A34 road, is estimated to hold about 21,000 tonnes of refuse in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of garbage is consists of what looks to be treated household refuse, fragmented plastic materials, expanded polystyrene, tires and assorted household articles.

It constitutes just one of 517 illegal sites throughout England, at a minimum of 11 of which contain over 20,000 tons of waste. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne site in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.

The overall amount of such larger dumps is likely to be greater, as the environmental agency has earlier indicated it does not possess data on weight for every illegal dump.

The majority such locations are in agricultural areas, often out of sight, and on land that should be arable ground.

Criminal Operations

Law enforcement say a significant number are run by organized crime groups, who are generating profit by demanding far less than lawful firms to accept and landfill garbage.

Companies have to be liable for gate fees to use legitimate waste facilities, based on the volume and category of material they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.

Local Frustration

Preparation efforts to remove the Kidlington dump commenced recently amid worries over the threat of fire and the impact that would have on the nearby A-road.

A contracted clean-up company has been granted the contract to handle the site over the following 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An compliance official for the government regulatory team commented that the body would be aiming to recover the clearance funds under proceeds of crime laws from any party ultimately found guilty at the conclusion of its active inquiry.

She further stated that this week's apprehensions would help "push the probe forward" and enable authorities to "follow more leads to determine precisely what transpired and who was a party to it".

"The unlawful dump at the site was an shocking and calculated assault on our environment and the authorities understand the local frustration at this egregious crime," she said.

A cabinet representative welcomed the arrests, commenting: "This unauthorized tipping of rubbish at this location is disgraceful and has caused substantial harm to the natural world and anguish to the nearby population.

"The government is pledged to stamping out this type of criminality across the nation, by boosting financing to address waste crime, employing more personnel and implementing stricter measures and penalties for those who flout the rules."

The detentions were executed on Thursday by officers from a regional crime squad and are in addition to an earlier apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in November. He was set free pending further enquiries.