Amritsar, March 11 (IANS): The Border Security Force (BSF) Tuesday seized 41 kg of heroin, its biggest seizure this year, following a shootout with smugglers from Pakistan along the border in the Amritsar sector, BSF officials said here.

The seized heroin is said to be valued at Rs.205 crore in the international market.

The seizure was made at two places in the sector. These were near border outpost (BOP) Rattan Khurd and BOP Daoke, 35 km from Amritsar, a BSF spokesman said.

In the first incident, BSF personnel at BOP Rattan Khurd saw some "suspicious movement on both sides of the border security fence" Monday night.

They challenged the suspects, who opened fire at the BSF personnel. The Indians retaliated but the smugglers managed to flee under the cover of darkness, the spokesman said.

A pistol, magazines, ammunition, Pakistani mobile phones and SIM cards were also found at the site.

A search operation was launched Tuesday morning in which 40 kg of heroin was found near the Rattan Khurd post.

In the second incident, around one kg of heroin was found near the Daoke border outpost during routine patrolling.

With Tuesday's incidents, the BSF has seized 138 kg of heroin this year. The seizure last year was 322 kg in the Punjab sector.

Amritsar is around 250 km from Chandigarh.