Whenever the executive director of the commission determines that any household goods carrier or any officer, director, or agent of any household goods carrier is failing or omitting or about to fail or omit, to do anything required of it by law, or by any order, decision, rule, direction, or requirement of the commission, or is doing anything or about to do anything, or permitting anything or about to permit anything to be done, in violation of law or of any order, decision, rule, direction, or requirement of the commission, the executive director may make application to the superior court in and for the county, or city and county, in which the cause or some part thereof arose, or in which the corporation complained of has its principal place of business, or in which the person complained of resides, for the purpose of having such violations or threatened violations stopped and prevented, either by mandamus or injunction, including, but not limited to, an order allowing vehicles used for subsequent operations subject to the order to be impounded at the carrier’s expense and subject to release only by subsequent court order following a petition to the court by the defendant or owner of the vehicle. The executive director shall thereupon begin such action or proceeding in the name of the people of the State of California, by petition to such superior court, alleging the violation or threatened violation complained of and praying for appropriate relief by way of mandamus or injunction.