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

Officials indicated that a 69-year-old was detained at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the massive pile of rubbish deposited near Kidlington.

These apprehensions come after a prior revelation which uncovered the presence of more than 500 illegal dumps throughout England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" greater than 20,000 metric tons.

A official for the environment body commented that the arrests were for environment-related and proceeds of crime offences and represented a "crucial step" in ongoing probes. Both men have been let go on bail.

Size of the Situation

The illegal site in near Kidlington, located between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is thought to hold approximately 21,000 metric tons of refuse in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of garbage is consists of what looks to be treated residential rubbish, shredded plastic items, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and assorted everyday items.

It represents just one of 517 unlawful tips throughout the country, at least 11 of which are estimated to hold in excess of 20,000 metric tons of garbage. These encompass a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The overall amount of such bigger dumps is expected to be higher, as the environmental agency has earlier acknowledged it does not maintain information on weight for all unlawful site.

Most these sites are in rural areas, often out of sight, and on land that is zoned as farm property.

Organised Operations

Authorities state many are operated by criminal organizations, who are making profit by demanding much less than licensed operators to take and landfill garbage.

Businesses have to pay disposal fees to use legitimate waste facilities, depending on the amount and nature of material they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also levied at just over £126 per metric ton.

Local Anger

Initial work to clear the affected dump commenced earlier this month amid fears over the threat of blaze and the effect that would have on the adjacent major road.

A private clean-up firm has been awarded the task to handle the site over the following 12 months period at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement officer for the country's regulatory division stated that the authority would be aiming to claim back the clearance funds under asset recovery acts from anyone successfully found guilty at the conclusion of its active inquiry.

She noted that the recent apprehensions would help "push the investigation forward" and enable the agency to "pursue more leads to ascertain exactly what happened and who was implicated".

"The unauthorized tip at the site was an appalling and intentional affront on our natural surroundings and we share the community's anger at this horrific crime," she remarked.

A cabinet representative praised the arrests, adding: "This unlawful deposit of waste at Kidlington is appalling and has led to significant harm to the natural world and distress to the nearby residents.

"The administration is dedicated to stamping out this kind of crime across the country, by boosting resources to address waste crime, employing more officers and enacting more severe controls and sanctions for those who violate the law."

The arrests were made on the specified day by personnel from a regional organised crime team and follow an earlier arrest of a 39-year-old from the Guildford region in November. He was let go pending more enquiries.