Waste dumping is 'the new county lines' says Scott

POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER HOSTS SUMMIT ON ISSUE ACROSS SOUTH-EAST

- By SIMON FINLAY

THE growing problem of industrial scale fly-tipping has been called “the new county lines” of crime by Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott.

Official figures show the scourge of illegal dumping - much of it by organised gangs using tipper lorries and transit vans - has jumped year-on-year in the county.

This week Mr Scott held a summit of interested parties, including fellow commissioners from Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Thames Valley.

The purpose of the meeting on Tuesday was to share experiences and to discuss how to “better manage” the response to the activities of groups carrying out fly-tipping all over the south east.

Figures compiled by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) show that in Kent in 2023/24, illegal dumping was up 5 per cent year-on-year.

Some individual areas saw bigger increases - especially Maidstone (up 19 per cent), Medway (14 per cent), Tonbridge and Malling (13 per cent) and Canterbury (13 per cent).

Mr Scott said: “Waste crime is the new organised crime groups’ activity. It is the new county lines - that is how serious this is and how organised this is.