Border Patrol: Agents do make repairs to recently-built barrier
By Jonathon Shacat
Herald/Review
Published/Last Modified on Saturday, Feb 07, 2009 - 04:15:53 am MST

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BISBEE — Smugglers recently removed two mesh panels from U.S.-Mexico border fencing located east of the San Pedro River, and Border Patrol officials have repaired them.

The precise location of these fence sections is near low-water crossing number 38, known as Gringo Wash.

The damage to one section was discovered on Jan. 28. Officials fixed it late last week. Officials noticed the damage on the other section last Monday and it was fixed this week.
Part of the border fence west of Naco sits pried apart earlier this week along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Border Patrol says repairs are made daily to the miles-long fence. (Ed Honda-Herald/Review)



Bill Odle, who owns land along the border near the San Pedro River, said the smugglers cut out the entire mesh fencing panels and then replaced them so it appeared they had not been tampered with.

He thinks they were moving vehicles across with the use of a small ramp, based on the large size of the opening and the presence of tracks on both sides of the border.

Mike Scioli, a public information officer for Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, said every 48 hours a team goes out and puts patches onto the fencing where it has been breached.

“Agents working in the field who notice anything like that make sure a report gets sent in and they relay it to that crew and they take care of it also,â€