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Two men have been taken into custody as a component of an probe into the dumping of many thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a rural field in Oxfordshire.

Officials reported that a 69-year-old was arrested at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a man in his fifties was detained in Slough in association with the massive mound of rubbish tipped near the area of Kidlington.

These apprehensions come after a recent revelation which uncovered the presence of in excess of 500 unauthorized tips in England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 metric tons.

A representative for the environment authorities stated that the apprehensions were for environmental and proceeds of crime crimes and constituted a "crucial step" in ongoing probes. Both men have been set free on pre-trial release.

Scale of the Problem

The illegal site in Kidlington, positioned between the river Cherwell and the A34 highway, is thought to contain around 21,000 tons of rubbish in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of rubbish is made up of what looks to be processed domestic waste, shredded plastic materials, expanded polystyrene, tyres and various household items.

It is just one of 517 unauthorized sites in the country, at a minimum of 11 of which contain more than 20,000 tonnes of garbage. Such sites feature a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The total figure of such larger sites is expected to be greater, as the regulatory agency has earlier stated it does not hold data on tonnage for all unauthorized dump.

The majority sites are in rural areas, often concealed, and on land that is intended to be farm land.

Criminal Activity

Police say a significant number are operated by criminal organizations, who are generating cash by asking for far less than legitimate operators to accept and dispose of garbage.

Companies have to incur disposal fees to use legitimate disposal sites, contingent on the quantity and nature of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per metric ton.

Community Outrage

Preparation efforts to remove the affected dump started recently following fears over the threat of fire and the consequences that would have on the adjacent highway.

A commercial waste removal company has been granted the contract to handle the area over the following 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the country's environment division said that the agency would be aiming to claim back the clearance expenses under proceeds of crime legislation from any individual ultimately convicted at the termination of its ongoing case.

She noted that the recent arrests would help "move the inquiry forward" and enable the agency to "follow more avenues to understand precisely what happened and who was implicated".

"This unauthorized tip at Kidlington was an atrocious and intentional attack on our natural surroundings and officials share the community's outrage at this terrible offence," she remarked.

A senior representative welcomed the arrests, adding: "This unlawful dumping of waste at this location is appalling and has led to substantial harm to the environment and upset to the nearby population.

"The government is pledged to eradicating this kind of illegal activity in the UK, by increasing funds to tackle waste crime, employing more staff and enacting tougher checks and penalties for those who violate the regulations."

The apprehensions were made on a recent Thursday by officers from a dedicated organised crime team and are in addition to an previous apprehension of a man in his thirties from the Guildford region in last November. He was let go subject to further enquiries.