Three Arrested in Hoads Wood Illegal Waste Dumping Case

Three men have been arrested in connection with the illegal dumping of over 30,000 tonnes of waste at Hoad's Wood, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest in Ashford, Kent. The Environment Agency launched a criminal investigation after discovering the waste, which was piled up to 15 feet high, in 2023. The arrested individuals, aged 41, 44, and 62, are from the Isle of Sheppey and Sittingbourne, and they have been interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities have secured a court order to prevent unauthorized access to the site and have hired a specialist firm to remove the waste. The Environment Agency's Simon Hawkins described the act as a