Chicago is a major city with a population over 500,000.

Aurora, Naperville, and Joliet, Illinois and Gary, Indiana are major cities with populations between 100,000 and 499,999.

East Chicago, Hammond, Munster, Dyer, Schererville, Merrillville, and Crown Point are major cities in Indiana with populations between 50,000 and 99,999.

Chicago is a major seaport.

O'Hare and Midway are international airports.

The interstates are I-55, I-57, I-65, I-80, I-88, I-90, I-94, and I-294.

The South Shore Line Passenger Service crosses northern Indiana and parallels the Lake Michigan shore line through Illinois.

Lake County has its own HIDTA.

Cook, Kendall, Will, and Grundy Counties in Illinois are Chicago HIDTA counties.

Porter, Newton, Jasper, Starke, LaPorte, and Pulaski Counties in Indiana are counties of interest.