🔗 Share this article Arrests Carried Out in Link to Supersized Unlawful Landfill Authorities believed that approximately 21,000 tonnes of waste were unlawfully deposited at the Oxfordshire site. A pair of individuals have been taken into custody as an element of an investigation into the dumping of thousands of tons of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire, England. Authorities stated that a 69-year-old was detained at a dwelling in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was detained in the town of Slough in connection with the massive pile of rubbish dumped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire. These arrests follow a recent investigation which revealed the presence of over 500 unlawful dumps throughout England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" greater than 20,000 metric tons. A official for the regulatory body said that the detentions were for environmental and money laundering offences and were a "vital step" in continuing inquiries. Both men have been let go on bail. The individuals were detained in association with money-laundering and environmental crimes. Scale of the Problem The illegal site in the Kidlington area, positioned between the River Cherwell and the A34, is thought to house around 21,000 tons of waste in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) high. This mound of rubbish is made up of what looks to be treated residential refuse, chopped up plastics, polystyrene, tires and other domestic objects. It constitutes just a single of 517 illegal dumps in England, at minimum 11 of which are estimated to hold more than 20,000 tons of waste. They encompass a 280,000-tonne location in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent. The total figure of such bigger sites is expected to be larger, as the environment body has earlier acknowledged it does not maintain information on tonnage for each unlawful dump. The majority such locations are in agricultural areas, often concealed, and on land that is intended to be farm land. Criminal Enterprise Law enforcement say many are operated by organised crime gangs, who are earning cash by asking for significantly less than licensed firms to accept and bury waste. Firms have to pay site fees to use lawful landfill sites, based on the volume and category of refuse they are trying to discard, and landfill tax is also levied at just over £126 per ton. Local Anger Preparatory operations to clean up the Kidlington area site started in recent weeks due to worries over the potential of fire and the impact that would have on the close-by highway. A private waste removal contractor has been awarded the job to remediate the site over the next 12 months period at a cost of £9.6m. An compliance officer for the country's environment team stated that the body would be aiming to recoup the remediation funds under confiscation laws from any individual successfully found guilty at the end of its ongoing case. She added that this week's detentions would help "move the inquiry forward" and permit officials to "investigate more lines of inquiry to ascertain precisely what transpired and who was implicated". "The unauthorized dump at the site was an atrocious and deliberate assault on our natural surroundings and the authorities understand the public's outrage at this horrific act," she remarked. A senior minister welcomed the detentions, adding: "The illegal deposit of garbage at the site is utterly appalling and has led to substantial detriment to the natural world and distress to the nearby residents. "The administration is committed to eliminating this type of crime across the UK, by boosting funds to address illegal dumping, recruiting more personnel and implementing tougher controls and fines for those who break the regulations." The arrests were carried out on Thursday by officers from a dedicated organised crime unit and follow an earlier detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford region in the autumn. He was released pending additional investigations.