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Two individuals have been detained as part of an inquiry into the tipping of many thousands of tonnes of waste in a field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough in connection with the huge mound of garbage deposited near the area of Kidlington.

These apprehensions come after a previous investigation which uncovered the operation of over 500 illegal sites across England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the environment authorities said that the apprehensions were for environmental and proceeds of crime crimes and represented a "crucial step" in active inquiries. Both men have been released on bail.

Magnitude of the Situation

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

This pile of waste is composed of what looks to be sorted residential waste, shredded plastic materials, expanded polystyrene, tyres and assorted everyday objects.

It constitutes just a single of 517 unlawful sites across England, at minimum 11 of which hold in excess of 20,000 tonnes of waste. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne site in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The actual number of such larger locations is likely to be greater, as the regulatory body has previously stated it does not possess records on weight for all illegal site.

The majority sites are in agricultural settings, frequently hidden, and on land that should be farm ground.

Organized Enterprise

Police state numerous are managed by criminal organizations, who are earning profit by charging far less than lawful firms to receive and bury garbage.

Businesses have to pay disposal fees to use legitimate landfill sites, contingent on the volume and nature of waste they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Frustration

Preparatory efforts to clear the affected dump began recently amid fears over the threat of combustion and the consequences that would have on the nearby highway.

A contracted waste clearance contractor has been given the task to deal with the area over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement manager for the government environment division stated that the authority would be aiming to recover the clean-up expenses under confiscation acts from any party successfully convicted at the conclusion of its active investigation.

She added that these arrests would help "move the probe forward" and permit officials to "investigate more avenues to understand precisely what occurred and who was a party to it".

"This unlawful tip at Kidlington was an atrocious and intentional attack on our natural surroundings and the authorities empathize with the community's anger at this egregious act," she stated.

A government official welcomed the detentions, stating: "This unlawful tipping of waste at Kidlington is disgraceful and has resulted in significant harm to the ecology and distress to the local population.

"Our government is committed to stamping out this kind of crime throughout the country, by augmenting financing to combat environmental crime, hiring more personnel and implementing tougher checks and sanctions for those who violate the regulations."

The apprehensions were executed on a recent Thursday by officers from a regional organised crime unit and come after an previous apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area area in November. He was let go subject to further enquiries.