Criminals have dumped 30,000 tonnes of illegal waste in the Kent countryside, with investigators now on the hunt to track down those responsible.
A criminal investigation was launched last year after household and construction waste, piled 15 feet high in places, was discovered through Hoads Wood.
Investigators from the Environment Agency say gangs of organised criminals are behind how the debris and aggregate got there.
The investigation is still continuing to find and prosecute those responsible.
A specialist company has been employed to remove the waste from the beauty spot, located near Ashford which covers about two acres.
It will then be disposed of at authorised sites, but tested first for any potential hazards.
Matt Higginson, of the Environment Agency said: "Criminals took advantage of the public who believed them to be legitimate operators taking their waste away legally.
"But they were anything but lawful, making money from it, then shamelessly dumping it in a protected woodland. It became someone else’s problem to clear up.
"We are determined the criminals will answer for their actions in court. Our investigation to find and prosecute those responsible continues.
"The Environment Agency plans to retrieve the costs of clearing Hoads Wood from those who spoiled the area. It should not be the taxpayer picking up the bill."
These unknown hazards, which could be buried deep in the 30,000 tonnes of waste, and the location, a site of special scientific interest, mean extreme care will be needed before and during removal.
The Environment Agency secured a court order in January, banning unauthorised access to the woodland and to successfully stop more waste being dumped.
In 2022/23, councils dealt with 1.08 million fly-tipping incidents and issued 69,000 fixed penalty notices, along with other enforcement actions.
However, the figures do not cover incidents on private land, with rural bodies saying these were 'blighting' rural areas.
A gang of men who 'spared little thought for their victims' were recently convicted following a complex investigation into large-scale waste crimes at 14 sites.
The Environment Agency's investigation, named Operation Cesium, involved numerous sites across major cities, as well as on agricultural land.
