Mexicali Mayor Norma Bustamante Martínez announced that the city will confiscate any vehicle found to have speed-enhancing modifications, launching a formal enforcement operation in the coming days. The crackdown targets a surge in street racing accidents across the capital of Baja California, where officials estimate between 40 and 60 traffic accidents occur daily.
Officers will not pull over vehicles based solely on make or model. But any car caught violating traffic laws while equipped with aftermarket performance modifications will be impounded on the spot. Lowered suspensions, engine tune-ups, exhaust modifications, and similar alterations all fall under the new policy.
Infiniti Sports Cars in the Crosshairs
Bustamante singled out roughly eight vehicle brands that dominate Mexicali’s modified car scene. Among them are Infiniti, Mustang, and Cadillac models. The mayor called the Infiniti a particular problem, noting the vehicles can reach speeds of nearly 100 mph (160 km/h) even before illegal modifications.
“We see young people in salvage yards swapping parts to modify the exhaust and mufflers to reach even higher speeds,” Bustamante said. The mayor emphasized, however, that the seizure policy applies to all makes and models equally.
What This Means for Vehicle Owners
Under the proposed changes to Mexicali’s municipal transit code, off-road vehicles known as “Razers” (tubular off-road buggies) and unregistered sports cars will also be subject to immediate seizure if operated on urban streets. The policy does not create a blanket stop-and-search authority. Instead, officers will impound modified vehicles only when drivers are already caught committing a traffic infraction.
For residents and expats who drive modified vehicles in Mexicali, any routine traffic violation could now result in the loss of their car, not just a fine. This includes common infractions like running a red light, speeding, or failing to signal. The city has not yet announced where impounded vehicles will be stored or what process owners would follow to recover them.
Mexicali sits directly across the border from Calexico, California, and its wide, flat boulevards have long attracted street racers. The city’s geography and proximity to U.S. auto parts suppliers make vehicle modifications both easy and popular among younger drivers.
The formal enforcement operation is expected to begin within days, according to the mayor’s office. Originally reported by The Baja Post and La Voz.