GUADALAJARA - Beware the boot: armed with 20 wheel clamps, traffic cops in Guadalajara on Tuesday started immobilizing illegally parked cars with out-of-state and foreign license plates.

According to Miguel Fernando Gracian, head of parking in Guadalajara, the measure was implemented because authorities lack the power to otherwise effectively fine out-of-state and foreign drivers.

“For local drivers, we can in some way guarantee that they will pay their tickets when they pay their refrendo (a state-based annual vehicle registration),” explained Gracian. “For those with out-of-state plates, it gets very difficult.”

Rescuing a car from the clamp will be far more expensive than the typical 50-100 peso parking ticket in Guadalajara. Trapped drivers will need to pay a 600 peso fee, plus 131 pesos for the actual parking offense, to liberate their vehicle.

Wheel clamp raids began in the Centro Magno area on Tuesday and are also planned for the Medrano and Chapultepec areas.