Federal, state, and military forces raided a clandestine chop shop in La Paz’s Colonia Tabachines neighborhood, seizing four vehicles and dozens of rounds of military-caliber ammunition. The joint operation targeted a workshop authorities say was altering VIN numbers and forging documents to disguise stolen vehicles for resale.
Personnel from the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), the federal Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), the Baja California Sur state attorney general’s office (PGJE), and state police coordinated the strike. Intelligence work on vehicle-related crime in the region led investigators to the location.
Stolen Vehicles and Ammunition Seized
Inside the workshop, officers found four vehicles. Two of them carried foreign theft reports, meaning they had been reported stolen outside Mexico. Investigators also recovered 34 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, a caliber commonly used in military-grade rifles.
Authorities say the shop was performing structural modifications on vehicles and swapping or grinding down VIN numbers. Operators also allegedly produced forged registration documents. The goal: make stolen cars untraceable so they could be resold on the open market or used in criminal operations.
What Vehicle Cloning Means for Baja Buyers
Vehicle cloning is a growing concern across Baja California Sur. The process involves taking a stolen vehicle and giving it the identity of a legally registered one by duplicating its VIN plates and paperwork. An unsuspecting buyer can end up purchasing a cloned car, only to have it seized by authorities later with no recourse.
The discovery of military-caliber ammunition alongside the cloned vehicles points to possible connections between the chop shop and broader organized crime networks. La Paz, often regarded as one of the safest cities on the Baja peninsula, has seen periodic enforcement actions targeting vehicle theft rings operating far from the border.
Evidence Turned Over to Federal Prosecutors
All four seized vehicles and the recovered ammunition have been transferred to the FGR for further investigation. No arrests were announced in connection with the raid.
Residents who have information about vehicle theft or suspicious workshop activity can call Mexico’s anonymous tip line at 089. The line accepts tips in both Spanish and English.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.