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A pair of individuals have been detained as an element of an investigation into the tipping of many thousands of metric tons of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement indicated that a 69-year-old was detained at a dwelling in Hampshire's Andover, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in Slough, Berkshire in association with the massive mound of waste dumped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These detentions occur a week after a previous revelation which uncovered the presence of in excess of 500 illegal tips throughout England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the regulatory agency commented that the detentions were for environmental and money laundering crimes and constituted a "vital step" in active inquiries. The apprehended men have been released on conditional release.

Magnitude of the Problem

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

This mound of garbage is composed of what seems to be processed household rubbish, chopped up plastic materials, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and various household articles.

It represents just one of 517 unlawful sites in the country, at a minimum of 11 of which hold in excess of 20,000 tons of garbage. They encompass a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The total number of such bigger locations is expected to be larger, as the environment body has previously stated it does not possess information on volume for every illegal tip.

A large proportion of such locations are in countryside areas, often concealed, and on land that is intended to be agricultural ground.

Organized Enterprise

Police say a significant number are run by criminal organizations, who are making money by demanding far less than licensed operators to receive and landfill rubbish.

Firms have to pay gate fees to use legitimate landfill sites, based on the amount and category of waste they are trying to get rid of, and a disposal levy is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.

Community Frustration

Preparation work to remove the Kidlington area location began recently due to worries over the potential of blaze and the consequences that would have on the nearby major road.

A private clean-up firm has been granted the contract to remediate the site over the coming 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An compliance official for the country's environment division said that the agency would be aiming to recover the clean-up funds under proceeds of crime legislation from any individual ultimately prosecuted at the termination of its current investigation.

She further stated that this week's detentions would help "move the inquiry forward" and enable authorities to "investigate more leads to ascertain exactly what occurred and who was involved".

"This illegal site at Kidlington was an atrocious and calculated assault on our natural surroundings and the authorities share the local frustration at this terrible act," she stated.

A senior official praised the detentions, adding: "This unlawful deposit of rubbish at Kidlington is disgraceful and has led to substantial harm to the natural world and upset to the surrounding community.

"The authorities is committed to stamping out this kind of criminality across the UK, by boosting funds to combat waste crime, hiring more officers and enacting stricter controls and penalties for those who violate the rules."

The arrests were carried out on the specified day by officers from a regional organised crime team and come after an previous apprehension of a man in his thirties from the Guildford region in the autumn. He was let go subject to further inquiries.