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

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was detained at a property in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was detained in the town of Slough in association with the enormous mound of garbage dumped near the area of Kidlington.

These detentions come after a previous revelation which uncovered the existence of more than 500 unauthorized tips across England, encompassing at least 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A spokeswoman for the environmental authorities stated that the detentions were for environmental and financial violations and represented a "key step" in continuing investigations. The apprehended men have been set free on pre-trial release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The dump in Kidlington, positioned between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to contain around 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

This mound of rubbish is made up of what appears to be sorted household waste, fragmented plastic materials, Styrofoam, tires and various household items.

It is just one of 517 illegal sites in the country, at minimum 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 metric tons of rubbish. They feature a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.

The actual figure of such major sites is expected to be greater, as the environment agency has in the past indicated it does not possess data on weight for every unlawful dump.

A large proportion of these sites are in rural settings, typically hidden, and on land that is intended to be farm ground.

Organised Activity

Law enforcement say a significant number are operated by organized crime groups, who are earning profit by demanding significantly less than legitimate operators to receive and landfill rubbish.

Firms have to incur disposal fees to use licensed disposal sites, based on the volume and type of material they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also applied at just over £126 per ton.

Community Frustration

Initial efforts to clean up the Kidlington area dump began earlier this month following fears over the threat of blaze and the impact that would have on the close-by A-road.

A contracted waste clearance company has been granted the task to deal with the site over the coming 12 months period at a cost of £9.6m.

An compliance officer for the national environment team said that the authority would be aiming to claim back the clean-up costs under confiscation laws from any party convicted at the conclusion of its current case.

She added that this week's arrests would help "push the probe forward" and allow authorities to "follow more lines of inquiry to ascertain exactly what happened and who was involved".

"This unauthorized tip at Kidlington was an shocking and calculated affront on our natural surroundings and the authorities empathize with the community's outrage at this terrible offence," she remarked.

A government official praised the actions, commenting: "The unlawful dumping of rubbish at this location is utterly appalling and has caused considerable harm to the environment and upset to the surrounding residents.

"The authorities is dedicated to eliminating this type of illegal activity in the nation, by boosting resources to address waste crime, employing more staff and enacting more severe measures and fines for those who violate the rules."

The detentions were made on a recent Thursday by personnel from a regional organised crime team and follow an previous apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in last November. He was set free awaiting further investigations.