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Two men have been detained as an element of an probe into the illegal deposit of thousands of metric tons of refuse in a field in Oxfordshire.

Officials stated that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in the town of Andover, while a man in his fifties was detained in Slough in association with the huge heap of garbage deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These arrests follow a previous report which exposed the presence of in excess of 500 illegal tips throughout the country of England, including at least 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A spokeswoman for the environment authorities stated that the detentions were for environment-related and financial crimes and were a "crucial step" in ongoing inquiries. The apprehended men have been released on conditional release.

Scale of the Situation

The tipping ground in near Kidlington, positioned between the Cherwell River and the A34, is believed to hold around 21,000 metric tons of rubbish in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

This pile of waste is composed of what appears to be treated household waste, fragmented plastics, Styrofoam, tires and other household objects.

It represents just one example of 517 illegal tips throughout the country, at least 11 of which hold over 20,000 tons of garbage. They feature a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The total number of such larger dumps is expected to be greater, as the environment agency has earlier indicated it does not possess information on volume for all unauthorized site.

The majority these sites are in countryside locations, typically hidden, and on land that is zoned as farm land.

Criminal Activity

Law enforcement report numerous are run by organized crime groups, who are generating profit by demanding much less than lawful firms to accept and landfill waste.

Firms have to be liable for site fees to use legitimate waste facilities, based on the volume and category of waste they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also levied at just over £126 per ton.

Public Frustration

Initial efforts to clear the affected site commenced in recent weeks amid concerns over the threat of fire and the consequences that would have on the nearby highway.

A commercial waste removal company has been awarded the job to handle the location over the following 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An compliance official for the country's environmental crime unit stated that the authority would be looking to recover the remediation costs under proceeds of crime laws from anyone convicted at the conclusion of its ongoing case.

She added that the recent apprehensions would help "push the probe forward" and allow the agency to "pursue more avenues to determine precisely what transpired and who was a party to it".

"This illegal dump at this location was an appalling and deliberate affront on our natural surroundings and the authorities share the public's anger at this terrible crime," she stated.

A senior representative praised the arrests, commenting: "This unauthorized dumping of rubbish at the site is appalling and has led to substantial damage to the environment and upset to the surrounding community.

"Our administration is dedicated to stamping out this category of criminality in the country, by augmenting financing to tackle waste crime, employing more staff and introducing stricter checks and sanctions for those who violate the regulations."

The arrests were executed on Thursday by agents from a regional crime squad and are in addition to an previous apprehension of a man in his thirties from the Surrey area in November. He was released subject to additional enquiries.