AMRITSAR: Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 17kg heroin valued at around Rs 85 crore in the international market following an arms conflict with Pakistani smugglers near Daoke village situated close to India-Pakistan international border in Amritsar sector on Sunday. Daoke is surrounded on three sides by Pakistan.This is the third seizure of narcotics in 19 days time on India-Pak border in Punjab and all the recoveries were made following gun battle with Pakistani smugglers in which two of them were shot dead by BSF on January 4. A total of eight Pakistani smugglers have been shot dead by BSF over the past two and half months.This is the first operation in current year wherein, BSF also noticed movement of smugglers on Indian side and have lodged an FIR with police to identify the smugglers who were to receive the narcotics consignment from their Pakistani counterparts.While talking to media persons BSF, Inspector General, Frontier, AK Tomar informed that besides 17 kilogram heroin, they have recovered one pistol, one magazine, seven rounds, one country made pistol 12 bore, one round, a mobile phone and a Pakistani SIM card of Vfone company.BSF had already recovered two weapons, three magazines and 21 rounds besides 8kg heroin during their Operation Alert in the current year which indicates at the level of desperation among Pakistani smugglers to smuggle contraband to India despite Pakistan Ranges top brass’s assurance to nail their activities to their Indian counterparts in a Director General level meeting held at Lahore in the last week of December 14.Sources seeking anonymity told TOI that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI provides arms and logistic support to the smugglers besides political shelter to their bosses due to which smugglers presence was often ignored by officials and Jawan’s of Pakistan Rangers.“This is the reason why Pak Rangers never had encounter with armed smugglers on their side. Either Pakistani Rangers connive with smugglers or they have been asked to keep their eyes closed,” said sources adding that the huge amount of funds generated through smuggling was being used to support anti India movement from Pakistani soil.Tomar said that Pakistan Rangers neither claim their smugglers' bodies nor cooperates in tracing them.He attributed huge margins that allures the Pakistani smugglers to risk their lives. He said due to foggy weather Pakistani smugglers have intensified their smuggling bids but fall in BSF’s trap. About 17kg heroin seizure, he said BSF challenged Pakistani smugglers on observing suspicious movement on the border and opened fire when Pakistani smugglers ignored them but they fled back to Pakistan leaving behind heroin.