Detentions Made in Relation to Enormous Unlawful Rubbish Dump

Two individuals have been arrested as an element of an investigation into the dumping of thousands of metric tons of waste in a rural field in Oxfordshire, England.

Authorities stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in Slough in relation with the enormous pile of waste dumped near the area of Kidlington.

These arrests follow a recent report which revealed the presence of in excess of 500 unauthorized dumps throughout the country of England, featuring at minimum 11 so-called "super sites" greater than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the regulatory agency stated that the apprehensions were for ecological and money laundering crimes and were a "key step" in ongoing inquiries. Both men have been released on bail.

Scale of the Problem

The tipping ground in Kidlington, positioned between the River Cherwell and the A34, is estimated to house around 21,000 metric tons of refuse in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of rubbish is made up of what looks to be treated household refuse, chopped up plastics, Styrofoam, tires and various household objects.

It represents just one of 517 illegal dumps throughout the country, at minimum 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 tons of waste. Such sites feature a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire county and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne tip in the county of Kent.

The overall number of such larger sites is likely to be larger, as the environmental body has earlier stated it does not hold records on tonnage for all unlawful site.

Most sites are in agricultural locations, often hidden, and on land that should be farm ground.

Organized Enterprise

Law enforcement state numerous are managed by organised crime gangs, who are making cash by demanding far less than licensed companies to receive and bury waste.

Firms have to pay gate fees to use licensed disposal sites, based on the amount and type of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and landfill tax is also levied at just over £126 per ton.

Public Frustration

Initial work to clean up the Kidlington dump commenced recently due to worries over the potential of fire and the effect that would have on the nearby A-road.

A private waste removal company has been granted the job to handle the location over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement official for the government environment division said that the agency would be aiming to claim back the remediation costs under proceeds of crime acts from any party found guilty at the conclusion of its ongoing investigation.

She noted that this week's arrests would help "push the investigation forward" and permit authorities to "pursue more leads to determine in detail what happened and who was involved".

"The unauthorized tip at Kidlington was an shocking and calculated affront on our environment and we understand the local anger at this terrible offence," she stated.

A cabinet official supported the actions, adding: "This illegal deposit of rubbish at the site is utterly appalling and has resulted in considerable damage to the environment and upset to the surrounding population.

"The government is pledged to eradicating this kind of illegal activity in the UK, by increasing resources to combat illegal dumping, recruiting more personnel and enacting stricter checks and penalties for those who flout the law."

The arrests were carried out on a recent Thursday by personnel from a dedicated organised crime team and follow an earlier apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area in last November. He was let go awaiting more investigations.