( CNN ) -- The beautiful game 's ugly underside was exposed on Monday as one of Europe 's senior crime fighters revealed hundreds of games are under investigation in what he described as `` a sad day for European football . '' Recent match-fixing scandals have centered on South Korea and South Africa , but Europol believes the highest levels of the game are now no longer safe with alleged corruption in two Champions League matches discovered , including one played in England , with 680 games in all being probed across the globe . `` This is the work of a suspected organized crime syndicate based in Asia and operated with criminal networks around Europe , '' Rob Wainwright , director of European law enforcement agency Europol , told reporters , following its 18-month probe . `` It is clear to us this is the biggest-ever investigation into suspected match-fixing in Europe . It has yielded major results which we think have uncovered a big problem for the integrity of football in Europe . We have uncovered an extensive criminal network . '' A total of 380 games in Europe -- including World Cup and European Championship qualifiers -- have been deemed suspicious , with 425 match and club officials and criminals involved from 15 different countries . The Champions League match in England , which took place in the `` last three or four years '' , is now subject to `` ongoing judicial proceedings . '' It is estimated that €16 million ( $ 21.7m ) had been bet on matches by criminals , yielding an €8 million ( $ 10.8m ) profit , with the highest single bribe of €140,000 paid in Austria . Wainwright will be writing to UEFA president Michel Platini to inform him of Europol 's findings . `` I 'm a committed football fan , '' added Europol 's director of European law enforcement agency . `` I 'm encouraged by the serious way many football administrators are taking it and by the results of this investigation . '' A further 300 matches outside of Europe , including in South America and Africa , are also under suspicion . Most of the international level football matches involved were with national teams in Africa , Asia , Central and South America -- including two World Cup qualifiers in Africa and one in South America . `` CAF does not intend to take any action until receipt of the full disclosed information to be made available to us , '' said the Confederation of African Football ( CAF ) in a statement . `` Second , CAF will take action if the fixed matches fall within our jurisdiction at the continental level , and national when required . '' Last month FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke branded match-fixing a `` disease '' in an interview with CNN just weeks after lifetime bans were handed to 41 South Korean players found guilty of prearranging matches . The president of the South African Football Association was suspended in December ahead of an investigation into match-fixing in the country prior to it hosting the 2010 World Cup . Chris Eaton is a former head of security at football 's global governing body FIFA who now works for Qatar-based sports security consultancy ICSS . He warned the threat facing soccer is greater than ever and that governments must do more to combat it . `` Sport is now under unprecedented attack from criminals and opportunists who conspire to manipulate the results of competitions around the world , '' Eaton said in a statement . `` What is apparent is that there is a clear absence of effective and collective government control on international gambling that deters match-fixers and organized criminals . `` It is this absence of governmental supervision at a global level where the real fight against match fixing and the manipulation of sport outcomes must now be fought . '' The Europol investigation -- codenamed Operation VETO - is ongoing .
Evidence of match-fixing found in two European Champions League matches . One of the two matches was played in England . 380 games including World Cup and European Championship qualifiers deemed suspicious . Comment: