MOSCOW, May 26 (RAPSI) – Investigators of the town of Kostroma have opened a criminal case over sale of 50 lung ventilators the period of storage of which had already expired, the press service of the Kostroma Regional Directorate of Russia’s Investigative Committee informs RAPSI on Tuesday.

According to investigators, this March a company in Kostroma made a deal with a company from the Vladimir Region seeking to purchase 50 lung ventilators manufactured in 1999 and 2000 for 6 million rubles (about $85,000 at the current exchange rate).

However, the storage period for such devices, if in unopened packages, is to make no more than 5 years; manufacturers of lung ventilators and Russia’s Federal Health Care Supervisory Service have confirmed that these devices could not be used.

Therefore, a criminal case over sales of substandard medical products has been opened; if found guilty those responsible may be jailed for up to 5 years.