Part 2/6:
Chicago emerges as a crucial nexus within this elaborate web. Unlike the simplistic analogy of a roadway from southern border areas to northern cities, Chicago functions more like a bustling hub where various routes converge. The city is not only a gateway for drugs entering the Midwest but also a key point where illicit funds are collected and redistributed. This central positioning renders Chicago uniquely pivotal: it is a place where drug shipments from the southwest border, the West Coast, and other regions intersect, making it difficult to categorize flows solely by geographical directions.