A federal judge has ordered the removal of seals placed on Servicio Rudametkin, a fuel service business on Avenida Obregón in central Ensenada, clearing the way for the station to reopen after seven months of forced closure.
The Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), Mexico’s federal attorney general’s office, raided and shuttered the business in November 2025. That operation was part of a broader crackdown targeting multiple fuel businesses across Ensenada on suspicion of storing illegal fuel, commonly known as huachicol. At least one employee was detained during the raids.
Seven Months Sealed Before Court Ruling
Servicio Rudametkin sat closed on one of Ensenada’s main downtown thoroughfares for roughly seven months while legal proceedings played out. Avenida Obregón runs through the heart of the city’s commercial district, just blocks from the waterfront and the cruise ship terminal area familiar to visitors and residents alike.
The judge’s ruling now permits the business to resume operations, though the broader FGR investigation into illegal fuel distribution in the region has not been declared closed. The specific legal grounds cited in the order to lift the seals were not detailed in the initial report.
Huachicol Remains a Persistent Problem in Baja California
Fuel theft and the sale of stolen gasoline and diesel remain a serious issue across Baja California. Criminal organizations tap pipelines or divert fuel from legitimate supply chains, then sell the product through complicit gas stations or makeshift distribution points. The Mexican government has made combating huachicol a federal priority since at least 2019, when then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador launched a high-profile campaign against fuel theft that included military deployments to protect pipelines.
Ensenada has faced particular scrutiny. A recent MarineLink investigation detailed how imported fuel shipments arriving at the Port of Ensenada have drawn attention from Mexican authorities examining possible cartel connections to fuel distribution networks in the region. Those cases involved separate companies and shipments, but they point to the port city’s role as a node in Baja California’s fuel supply chain.
What Comes Next
For residents and business owners along the Avenida Obregón corridor, the reopening of Servicio Rudametkin ends a prolonged disruption. The case, however, is a reminder of how slowly federal investigations in Mexico can move. Businesses swept up in raids may wait months for judicial resolution, even when courts ultimately allow them to reopen.
The status of the employee detained during the November 2025 operation was not addressed in the court order. The FGR has not publicly commented on whether charges will proceed against individuals or other businesses caught up in the same sweep.
This story was first reported by Ensenada.net.