Detentions Made in Connection to Enormous Unauthorized Landfill

Two men have been detained as part of an investigation into the illegal deposit of thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement indicated that a man in his late sixties was detained at a property in the town of Andover, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in Slough in association with the enormous pile of garbage deposited near Kidlington.

These arrests occur a week after a previous investigation which revealed the operation of over 500 unauthorized dumps across England, featuring at least 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes.

A official for the environment agency said that the arrests were for ecological and proceeds of crime crimes and constituted a "key step" in active inquiries. The two individuals have been let go on conditional release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The tipping ground in near Kidlington, located between the river Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to hold about 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) high.

This pile of waste is consists of what seems to be treated residential rubbish, fragmented plastic materials, Styrofoam, tyres and other everyday objects.

It represents just one example of 517 unauthorized dumps across the country, at a minimum of 11 of which contain over 20,000 tons of waste. They include a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.

The overall figure of such major dumps is expected to be higher, as the environment agency has previously acknowledged it does not possess information on volume for each unauthorized dump.

Most such locations are in countryside locations, frequently hidden, and on land that should be farm ground.

Organised Activity

Law enforcement state a significant number are managed by criminal organizations, who are generating cash by asking for far less than legitimate firms to receive and dispose of rubbish.

Firms have to be liable for gate fees to use licensed waste facilities, depending on the quantity and category of material they are trying to discard, and a disposal levy is also applied at just over £126 per metric ton.

Local Outrage

Preparation efforts to clean up the Kidlington site started in recent weeks amid worries over the risk of combustion and the effect that would have on the close-by A-road.

A commercial clean-up contractor has been given the task to deal with the location over the coming 12 months period at a expense of £9.6m.

An enforcement official for the country's environment unit said that the agency would be seeking to claim back the clearance funds under proceeds of crime laws from anyone successfully convicted at the conclusion of its ongoing investigation.

She noted that this week's apprehensions would help "drive the investigation forward" and permit authorities to "pursue more avenues to ascertain in detail what transpired and who was involved".

"The illegal site at the site was an shocking and deliberate attack on our natural surroundings and the authorities share the public's frustration at this horrific offence," she said.

A cabinet representative welcomed the actions, stating: "This unlawful dumping of garbage at the site is utterly appalling and has caused considerable damage to the natural world and anguish to the local population.

"Our government is pledged to eliminating this type of illegal activity across the country, by augmenting financing to address waste crime, recruiting more personnel and enacting more severe controls and fines for those who violate the regulations."

The arrests were executed on Thursday by personnel from a dedicated serious crime unit and come after an prior detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area area in last November. He was set free pending additional investigations.