### Customs Measure to Seize Regularized “Chocolates” Cars Can Be Challenged
Residents in Tijuana are being advised against taking their regularized “chocolates” cars across the border into the United States. Although the customs department’s action of confiscating these vehicles can be legally contested, the retrieval process can be lengthy. The vehicles in question are the ones that entered Mexico after October 19, 2021, and were regularized under a federal decree.
Fiscal lawyer Jorge Pickett Corona highlighted that individuals who utilized the decree for legalization despite not meeting all conditions possess a legal document confirming their legal status in the country. He noted that although these vehicles have been regularized, the customs’ decision to seize them remains highly debatable and capable of being contested.
“There is an arguable illegality here,” Pickett explained. “A person legally registered the vehicle even if they didn’t comply fully with the decree requirements; it’s contentious for customs to seize it, given that the person has a valid document.”
The lawyer argued that the federal authority should have initially refused the regularization, as the cars did not meet the criteria of being in the country before the decree’s publication. “The responsibility doesn’t lie with the motorist if there’s an official document indicating the authority overlooked decree stipulations,” he added.
Pickett advises affected individuals to consider permanently importing their vehicles and refrain from crossing into the U.S. to avoid issues with the National Customs Agency and the Tax Administration Service. Should the vehicle be seized, the issue could wind up as a litigation case, with the burden of proof lying on the car owner to demonstrate the authority’s actions were unlawful.
### Increased Seizures of “Chocolate” Cars in Tijuana
In a similar vein, recent reports indicate an uptick in the seizure of “chocolates” vehicles at Tijuana’s customs points. Despite the federal decree that offered a pathway for legalization, many such cars are still targeted and confiscated as they attempt to cross international borders.
Newly established outposts, such as the module for regularizing “chocolate” cars in Tecate, aim to streamline the process and ensure compliance with legal standards. As the controversy around these vehicles persists, local committees and activists are urging for clearer guidelines and more lenient treatment until all procedural hiccups are ironed out.
The ongoing debate raises issues about the efficiency and fairness of customs practices, urging a deeper examination of both the decree’s implementation and the actions surrounding vehicle seizures. Meanwhile, local authorities are attempting to bolster their support to roadside traders affected by these ongoing adjustments in customs regulations.
The situation underscores the complexities surrounding border policies and their ramifications on local economies, driving a call for comprehensive solutions to these long-standing cross-border challenges.