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Two individuals have been detained as a component of an probe into the tipping of thousands of tonnes of waste in a rural field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a man in his late sixties was apprehended at a property in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in Slough in connection with the massive heap of waste tipped near Kidlington.

These detentions follow a recent investigation which revealed the operation of more than 500 illegal sites in the country of England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A spokeswoman for the regulatory body said that the detentions were for environmental and money laundering crimes and represented a "crucial step" in active probes. The two individuals have been let go on bail.

Scale of the Situation

The dump in Kidlington, situated between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to house around 21,000 tonnes of refuse in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) in height.

This pile of waste is composed of what appears to be sorted household waste, fragmented plastics, expanded polystyrene, tires and various household items.

It represents just one of 517 illegal dumps in the country, at least 11 of which hold more than 20,000 tonnes of garbage. These include a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The actual number of such bigger sites is likely to be greater, as the regulatory authority has previously stated it does not possess records on volume for all unauthorized site.

The majority sites are in countryside locations, frequently out of sight, and on land that is zoned as arable property.

Criminal Operations

Police state numerous are managed by organized crime groups, who are making cash by asking for far less than licensed companies to receive and bury rubbish.

Businesses have to pay gate fees to use legitimate landfill sites, depending on the amount and nature of waste they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also levied at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Frustration

Preparatory work to clear the affected location started earlier this month due to fears over the potential of fire and the consequences that would have on the close-by major road.

A contracted waste clearance firm has been awarded the task to handle the location over the coming 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An compliance official for the national environmental crime unit commented that the authority would be aiming to recover the clearance costs under confiscation legislation from any party successfully prosecuted at the termination of its ongoing inquiry.

She noted that these detentions would help "push the inquiry forward" and permit authorities to "investigate more avenues to determine precisely what transpired and who was a party to it".

"The illegal tip at this location was an shocking and deliberate attack on our natural surroundings and the authorities share the community's outrage at this horrific crime," she remarked.

A cabinet representative praised the detentions, stating: "This unlawful tipping of waste at the site is utterly appalling and has caused significant damage to the natural world and distress to the surrounding population.

"The government is dedicated to eliminating this type of illegal activity in the nation, by augmenting resources to tackle environmental crime, hiring more personnel and implementing tougher controls and sanctions for those who violate the rules."

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