The 8th OC Research Conference took place during the 7th and 8th October 2015 in the Intercity Hotel in Mainz. The conference shed light on international organised crime groups regarding their structures and threat potential. Special focus was put on research activities, the OC situation, different strategies for combatting OC as well as the difficulties within criminal prosecution. Among others, the topics included Russian speaking organised crime groups in the U.S., Europe and Germany as well as their respective activities in cyberspace.