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Two men have been arrested as an element of an probe into the illegal deposit of many thousands of tons of rubbish in a open field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was arrested at a residence in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was detained in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the enormous heap of garbage dumped near Kidlington.

These apprehensions occur a week after a prior revelation which revealed the presence of more than 500 illegal tips across the country of England, featuring at minimum 11 so-called "large-scale sites" bigger than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the environmental agency stated that the arrests were for ecological and financial crimes and represented a "crucial step" in continuing investigations. The apprehended men have been set free on bail.

Magnitude of the Problem

The tipping ground in Kidlington, positioned between the river Cherwell and the A34 road, is believed to house approximately 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) high.

This mound of rubbish is consists of what appears to be processed household waste, chopped up plastic items, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and various domestic items.

It is just one of 517 illegal dumps in England, at minimum 11 of which hold more than 20,000 tons of garbage. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The total amount of such major sites is likely to be larger, as the environment agency has earlier acknowledged it does not possess records on tonnage for every illegal tip.

A large proportion of sites are in agricultural locations, typically hidden, and on land that is zoned as farm ground.

Criminal Operations

Police state a significant number are run by organized crime groups, who are making profit by asking for significantly less than lawful operators to accept and dispose of rubbish.

Businesses have to be liable for site fees to use legitimate landfill sites, based on the volume and category of waste they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also levied at just over £126 per tonne.

Local Frustration

Preparation work to clean up the Kidlington area dump commenced in recent weeks amid concerns over the potential of blaze and the consequences that would have on the close-by highway.

A contracted waste clearance firm has been awarded the task to remediate the site over the next 12 months period at a expense of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the country's regulatory division said that the body would be aiming to recoup the remediation funds under confiscation acts from any party prosecuted at the conclusion of its active case.

She added that these detentions would help "push the inquiry forward" and allow the agency to "investigate more lines of inquiry to understand precisely what happened and who was a party to it".

"The illegal dump at the site was an shocking and calculated affront on our environment and the authorities empathize with the local frustration at this terrible offence," she stated.

A cabinet representative praised the arrests, adding: "The illegal deposit of rubbish at this location is appalling and has led to considerable detriment to the environment and anguish to the nearby residents.

"The administration is pledged to stamping out this type of illegal activity across the country, by increasing financing to address waste crime, hiring more personnel and introducing more severe checks and sanctions for those who flout the regulations."

The detentions were carried out on Thursday by personnel from a dedicated crime squad and come after an prior detention of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area area in November. He was let go awaiting additional enquiries.