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A pair of individuals have been detained as part of an investigation into the dumping of several thousand of metric tons of rubbish in a rural field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement stated that a man in his late sixties was apprehended at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a man in his fifties was arrested in Slough in connection with the massive mound of garbage deposited near the area of Kidlington.

These detentions come after a recent report which revealed the operation of over 500 illegal sites across England, encompassing at least 11 so-called "major sites" greater than 20,000 tonnes.

A spokeswoman for the environment body commented that the arrests were for environmental and proceeds of crime offences and were a "crucial step" in active inquiries. The two individuals have been let go on bail.

Magnitude of the Issue

The tipping ground in Kidlington, positioned between the river Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to contain approximately 21,000 tons of rubbish in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of garbage is made up of what looks to be treated domestic rubbish, chopped up plastic materials, Styrofoam, tires and assorted everyday articles.

It represents just a single of 517 unauthorized dumps across England, at minimum 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 tons of rubbish. These feature a 280,000-tonne area in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The total number of such larger sites is probably to be greater, as the environment authority has in the past indicated it does not hold records on volume for every unauthorized site.

A large proportion of these sites are in agricultural settings, frequently hidden, and on land that should be arable ground.

Criminal Enterprise

Police report numerous are operated by criminal organizations, who are making money by charging far less than lawful companies to take and dispose of waste.

Firms have to be liable for gate fees to use licensed landfill sites, based on the amount and type of material they are trying to get rid of, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Anger

Initial efforts to clean up the Kidlington site started earlier this month due to worries over the potential of fire and the effect that would have on the close-by A-road.

A commercial waste clearance contractor has been granted the task to remediate the site over the coming 12 months period at a expense of £9.6m.

An investigations officer for the country's environment division commented that the agency would be looking to recoup the clearance costs under asset recovery acts from anyone prosecuted at the conclusion of its current inquiry.

She added that this week's arrests would help "drive the investigation forward" and allow authorities to "follow more lines of inquiry to understand in detail what occurred and who was involved".

"The unlawful site at Kidlington was an appalling and intentional attack on our natural surroundings and officials share the public's outrage at this egregious crime," she remarked.

A senior representative supported the actions, commenting: "This unlawful dumping of garbage at this location is appalling and has led to substantial damage to the environment and distress to the local community.

"The government is pledged to eliminating this type of crime in the country, by boosting funds to tackle illegal dumping, employing more staff and enacting stricter checks and fines for those who violate the rules."

The arrests were carried out on a recent Thursday by agents from a regional organised crime squad and come after an earlier detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area in the autumn. He was released pending additional enquiries.