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Two individuals have been taken into custody as a component of an investigation into the illegal deposit of many thousands of tons of refuse in a field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a man in his fifties was arrested in the town of Slough in association with the huge heap of garbage deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These arrests follow a recent revelation which exposed the presence of over 500 illegal tips across England, encompassing at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the regulatory body said that the detentions were for ecological and proceeds of crime offences and represented a "key step" in ongoing inquiries. The two individuals have been set free on bail.

Magnitude of the Problem

The tipping ground in the Kidlington area, situated between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is believed to hold around 21,000 tons of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of waste is composed of what looks to be treated household waste, shredded plastics, expanded polystyrene, tires and assorted everyday articles.

It is just a single of 517 unauthorized sites throughout the country, at a minimum of 11 of which are estimated to hold more than 20,000 tons of garbage. They encompass a 280,000-tonne site in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The actual figure of such larger sites is likely to be higher, as the environment agency has in the past stated it does not maintain data on tonnage for every unlawful dump.

Most sites are in rural locations, frequently out of sight, and on land that is intended to be farm property.

Organized Enterprise

Law enforcement say numerous are operated by organized crime groups, who are generating profit by charging significantly less than legitimate operators to accept and bury garbage.

Companies have to pay gate fees to use legitimate waste facilities, depending on the amount and nature of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and a disposal levy is also charged at just over £126 per ton.

Public Frustration

Preparatory efforts to clear the Kidlington site started recently following fears over the threat of blaze and the impact that would have on the close-by A-road.

A commercial waste clearance firm has been awarded the job to handle the area over the coming 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the country's regulatory team said that the authority would be looking to claim back the clean-up expenses under proceeds of crime laws from any party found guilty at the end of its current inquiry.

She further stated that these arrests would help "drive the investigation forward" and permit officials to "investigate more lines of inquiry to understand in detail what occurred and who was involved".

"This illegal tip at Kidlington was an appalling and deliberate assault on our natural surroundings and we empathize with the local frustration at this terrible act," she stated.

A senior official supported the arrests, stating: "The unauthorized tipping of rubbish at the site is appalling and has caused substantial detriment to the environment and distress to the nearby population.

"The authorities is dedicated to eliminating this category of illegal activity in the UK, by increasing financing to tackle environmental crime, recruiting more officers and enacting stricter controls and sanctions for those who flout the law."

The arrests were made on the specified day by officers from a regional organised crime team and are in addition to an prior arrest of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in last November. He was let go awaiting more enquiries.