CUSTOMS investigators have charged two German nationals accused of trying to smuggle a large quantity of endangered fungi out of Australia.

A 48-year-old man and a 67-year-old man were stopped by customs officers when they were attempting to fly out of Perth International Airport, Perth Now reports.

During a search, they found 160 mushrooms and fungi spore samples in the baggage of the passengers.

The men have been charged with exporting a regulated native species without a permit.

Read more on this story on Perth Now.