DUI Checkpoints in Playa del Carmen Towed 616 Vehicles and Issued 982 Fines

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Municipal traffic authorities carried out 60 DUI checkpoint operations in Playa del Carmen during the first seven months of 2026, resulting in 616 vehicles towed to the impound lot and 982 fines issued, according to data released through a transparency request.

In addition, the city’s “Gama” operations targeting motorcycles — which check for excess passengers, helmet use, and valid registration — totaled 158 operations, with 147 motorcycles towed and 1,111 fines issued during the same period.

The figures were provided by Carlos Alberto Montesinos García, head of the municipal traffic department, in response to a request submitted to the city’s Transparency and Access to Public Information Unit. The request sought details on both the alcoholimeter (DUI) program and the Gama motorcycle operations, including the number of operations conducted, vehicles towed, and fines issued.

The numbers update a previous announcement by the Secretariat of Citizen Security of Playa del Carmen, which had reported 1,133 fines and 149 motorcycles towed in the Gama operations.

According to the new data, June and July saw the most vehicles towed in DUI checkpoints, with 112 and 147 respectively. Excluding January, which recorded 238 fines, June and July also had the highest number of fines, with 143 and 160 respectively.

Authorities run an average of eight DUI checkpoint operations per month and 23 Gama operations per month.

For Gama operations, January and February saw the most motorcycles towed, with 38 and 34 respectively, as well as the most fines, with 239 and 175. In July, officers issued 160 fines but towed only 15 motorcycles.

The most common reasons for towing vehicles and issuing fines included involvement in accidents and fleeing the scene, disregarding police orders, driving under the influence, leaving injured victims and fleeing, street racing, fake license plates, overtaking on the shoulder, parking on curves, parking on crosswalks, passing on the right at intersections, causing accidents, and abandoning vehicles on public roads. Officials did not provide a breakdown of fines by specific violation.