A Serbian security news portal reported on Thursday that the Republika Srpska (RS) police are buying weapons from a South African company for its armoured vehicles.

The Balkan Security Network quoted reports in local media in the Bosnia-Herzegovina entity that said the RS Internal Affairs Ministry had applied for permits to import 7.62 and 12.7 mm remote-controlled machine guns for the Despot armoured car which is produced by a defence industry company in Bratunac. The permit requests named Dynateq International PTY as the supplier. The Despot is used by the RS police Special Anti-Terrorist Unit which has nine of them with indications that more will be procured.

The Despot is made by the privately-owned TRB and is classed as a multi-purpose armoured all-terrain vehicle intended for use by the police and military. The first production model was presented at a parade on Republika Srpska Day in January 2019. The nine vehicles were supplied at a cost of some six million Euro and are based in the RS police training centre in Zaluzani outside Banja Luka. Officially they are intended for use to break up demonstrations.