BEIJING - Chinese police cracked a case involving the sale of smuggled secondhand medical devices to small clinics, apprehending 14 criminal suspects and confiscating 10 shoddy devices, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced Tuesday.

Without any business licenses, the suspects smuggled a number of secondhand medical devices into China and sold them to small and medium-sized clinics. The devices included a full range of frequently-used devices, according to the MPS.

The case involved a total of more than 10 million yuan (1.62 million US dollars), the MPS said, adding that such salvaged medical devices may contribute to incorrect diagnoses and delay appropriate treatment.