A man has been arrested in relation to a waste fire that burned for more than two weeks on a farm near Walesby in Nottinghamshire last September.
The 41-year-old man was taken in in a joint operation involving officers from the Environment Agency (EA) and Nottinghamshire Police and is currently being questions in connection to a fire on Oakfield Farm in Walesby where waste had been dumped illegally without a permit.
At the height of the fire, crews from nine different stations were needed to fight the blaze. Firefighters had to attend the site for over a month to wet down the waste that was stored on the site.
Upon entering the man’s property in Sneinton, Nottingham, they also discovered 40 suspected cannabis plants. The man is currently being questioned over this matter as well.
The man has also been linked to two other enquiries involving the discovery of illegal waste at a site in Hathernware Industrial Estate in Loughborough and a farm in Leicestershire.
Commenting on the arrest, Peter Haslock, Area Enforcement Team Leader for the East Midlands, said: “The arrest was made as part of a joint investigation involving enforcement officers from the Environment Agency and colleagues from Nottinghamshire Police. We know the Walesby site did not have a permit for waste activity and we believe the waste was involved in the fire.
“These are extremely serious cases and the Environment Agency is determined to bring the culprits to justice. We are working closely with partners to share intelligence on illegal waste activity. And we’re encouraging property and land owners to be vigilant. Anyone who sees waste crime taking place is advised not to approach as these people can be dangerous.”
In the wake of this latest incident of illegal waste dumping, the EA advises land and property owners to check any empty land and property and make sure it’s secure, carry out rigorous checks on prospective and new tenants and be vigilant and report any unusual behaviour.
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