🔗 Share this article Detentions Carried Out in Connection to Massive Unlawful Rubbish Dump Authorities estimated that about 21,000 metric tons of rubbish were wrongfully dumped at the Oxfordshire county area. Two men have been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the tipping of many thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a rural field in Oxfordshire. Authorities stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was detained in the town of Slough in association with the massive pile of rubbish tipped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire. These detentions occur a week after a recent report which uncovered the operation of in excess of 500 illegal tips in England, encompassing at minimum 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes. A representative for the environmental authorities said that the apprehensions were for environmental and proceeds of crime offences and were a "vital step" in active investigations. Both men have been released on bail. The men were apprehended in association with proceeds of crime and environmental violations. Size of the Issue The dump in Kidlington, positioned between the Cherwell River and the A34 highway, is believed to house approximately 21,000 tons of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) in height. This pile of rubbish is consists of what appears to be sorted residential rubbish, fragmented plastic items, polystyrene, tyres and other domestic items. It is just a single of 517 illegal sites in the country, at a minimum of 11 of which contain more than 20,000 tons of rubbish. Such sites include a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent. The overall amount of such larger sites is probably to be greater, as the environment body has previously acknowledged it does not hold information on tonnage for every unauthorized tip. Most such locations are in countryside areas, often concealed, and on land that should be arable land. Organized Enterprise Authorities state numerous are run by organized crime groups, who are generating cash by charging far less than legitimate firms to accept and landfill rubbish. Firms have to incur gate fees to use lawful landfill sites, based on the quantity and nature of waste they are trying to get rid of, and landfill tax is also levied at just over £126 per tonne. Local Outrage Preparatory efforts to remove the affected site began in recent weeks amid concerns over the potential of fire and the consequences that would have on the adjacent major road. A private clean-up contractor has been given the job to remediate the area over the coming 12 months at a cost of £9.6m. An enforcement manager for the national environment division said that the agency would be looking to recoup the clean-up funds under proceeds of crime laws from any individual prosecuted at the end of its current case. She added that this week's apprehensions would help "drive the probe forward" and enable officials to "pursue more avenues to determine in detail what transpired and who was implicated". "This illegal dump at Kidlington was an shocking and deliberate attack on our natural surroundings and officials share the community's frustration at this horrific act," she said. A government representative supported the detentions, adding: "The unauthorized deposit of rubbish at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has led to substantial damage to the natural world and distress to the surrounding community. "The administration is committed to eradicating this category of criminality throughout the nation, by boosting financing to combat waste crime, recruiting more officers and enacting more severe controls and fines for those who flout the rules." The arrests were executed on a recent Thursday by officers from a regional serious crime unit and are in addition to an earlier apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area area in the autumn. He was released awaiting additional investigations.