A 26-year-old Chinese national was arrested on charges of attempting to smuggle 27 kilograms of red sanders out of the country, said Indian police Monday.

The man named Huang Guoxing was scheduled to board a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong when he was intercepted by Air Intelligence Unit crew of Customs at the international departure terminal at Chennai Airport, said police.

On checking his suitcase, the customs officials found a huge quantity of red sanders cut into different shapes resembling finished products, reported local daily The Hindu, which is based in Chennai.

After recording a statement from the youth, Customs officials handed him over to the Forest Department. M. Mohammed Rafi, Ranger of Tambaram, told the newspaper that Huang had attempted to smuggle 27 kilograms of red sanders, a protected timber in India.

Under provisions of the Forest Act and Timber Transportation Rules, a case has been filed against Huang.

The Chinese youth had come to India about a fortnight ago and is reported to have purchased the valuable timber from a contact in Bengaluru, south India. He then came to Chennai by bus, according to the report.

The Forest Department has engaged the services of a translator and is in the process of getting details about the person from whom he had got the consignment and the amount of money involved.

Red sanders are found abundantly in pockets of Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh and Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu among other regions.