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Two individuals have been arrested as an element of an investigation into the illegal deposit of many thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a rural field in Oxfordshire.

Officials stated that a man in his late sixties was apprehended at a property in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in the town of Slough in association with the massive heap of garbage deposited near Kidlington.

These apprehensions follow a recent investigation which uncovered the operation of over 500 unauthorized tips across the country of England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "large-scale sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the regulatory body commented that the detentions were for environmental and financial offences and constituted a "crucial step" in continuing probes. Both men have been let go on conditional release.

Magnitude of the Problem

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

This pile of rubbish is made up of what looks to be processed household refuse, chopped up plastic materials, polystyrene, tyres and other household items.

It is just one example of 517 unauthorized dumps in England, at least 11 of which hold over 20,000 tonnes of rubbish. They feature a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The total number of such bigger locations is likely to be higher, as the environmental authority has in the past stated it does not possess data on volume for all unauthorized dump.

The majority such locations are in countryside locations, typically concealed, and on land that should be agricultural ground.

Organised Operations

Law enforcement say a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are making money by charging far less than lawful companies to receive and bury garbage.

Companies have to pay site fees to use legitimate disposal sites, contingent on the quantity and type of material they are trying to discard, and a disposal levy is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.

Community Anger

Preparation operations to remove the Kidlington location began recently following fears over the potential of combustion and the effect that would have on the adjacent highway.

A private waste removal firm has been given the job to handle the site over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations officer for the country's environmental crime team said that the body would be aiming to recoup the clean-up funds under asset recovery legislation from anyone prosecuted at the end of its active inquiry.

She noted that these apprehensions would help "move the investigation forward" and permit authorities to "follow more avenues to determine in detail what transpired and who was a party to it".

"The unauthorized tip at the site was an shocking and intentional assault on our environment and the authorities empathize with the public's frustration at this egregious act," she remarked.

A cabinet minister praised the actions, commenting: "The illegal tipping of waste at this location is appalling and has caused significant harm to the environment and distress to the local residents.

"Our administration is pledged to eradicating this type of illegal activity throughout the country, by boosting resources to combat environmental crime, recruiting more staff and introducing tougher checks and sanctions for those who flout the regulations."

The apprehensions were made on a recent Thursday by personnel from a dedicated serious crime unit and follow an prior arrest of a 39-year-old from the Surrey region in the autumn. He was set free subject to more enquiries.