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A pair of individuals have been detained as a component of an probe into the tipping of many thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a rural field in Oxfordshire, England.

Authorities stated that a man in his late sixties was detained at a dwelling in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in the town of Slough in association with the enormous heap of rubbish deposited near Kidlington.

These apprehensions come after a previous revelation which exposed the existence of more than 500 illegal tips throughout the country of England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "large-scale sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A official for the environmental agency said that the apprehensions were for ecological and financial violations and represented a "vital step" in active investigations. The apprehended men have been set free on pre-trial release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, positioned between the River Cherwell and the A34 road, is believed to house approximately 21,000 tonnes of waste in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of rubbish is consists of what seems to be treated household waste, chopped up plastic items, Styrofoam, automobile tires and assorted everyday items.

It represents just one of 517 unlawful tips across the country, at minimum 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 metric tons of rubbish. Such sites feature a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire county and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The total figure of such larger locations is expected to be higher, as the environment agency has in the past acknowledged it does not hold data on tonnage for all illegal dump.

Most such locations are in agricultural locations, frequently concealed, and on land that is zoned as farm property.

Organised Enterprise

Law enforcement state a significant number are managed by criminal organizations, who are generating profit by demanding much less than lawful operators to take and dispose of garbage.

Companies have to be liable for gate fees to use legitimate disposal sites, depending on the volume and nature of waste they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also charged at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Frustration

Preparatory efforts to clean up the Kidlington area dump started earlier this month amid concerns over the risk of blaze and the impact that would have on the adjacent major road.

A private waste clearance firm has been given the task to handle the location over the next 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.

An compliance officer for the country's regulatory division stated that the agency would be seeking to recoup the remediation costs under proceeds of crime acts from anyone found guilty at the conclusion of its current investigation.

She noted that this week's apprehensions would help "drive the inquiry forward" and allow authorities to "follow more leads to determine exactly what happened and who was involved".

"This unlawful tip at Kidlington was an shocking and deliberate attack on our natural surroundings and the authorities empathize with the local frustration at this horrific offence," she remarked.

A government minister praised the arrests, commenting: "This unauthorized tipping of waste at this location is utterly appalling and has caused substantial harm to the environment and anguish to the nearby residents.

"The administration is pledged to stamping out this category of illegal activity in the UK, by increasing financing to address illegal dumping, employing more officers and enacting stricter measures and sanctions for those who break the rules."

The arrests were made on Thursday by officers from a dedicated organised crime unit and are in addition to an previous apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in last November. He was released pending further inquiries.