FLASH NEWS
Escape like in the movies/ While carrying his handcuffed brother's coffin, the Albanian trafficker disappears without a trace
2026-06-13 12:04:01 / AKTUALITET
Fugitive Orijol Rukaj was handcuffed while carrying his brother's coffin, moments before one of the most significant escapes from the penitentiary system in the Australian state of Victoria in recent years.
Rukaj, accused of drug trafficking, had received special permission from prison authorities to attend the funeral of his brother, Sokol Rukaj, at Keilor East Cemetery. This decision is now being reviewed by the highest levels of the administration.
According to information from the Herald Sun newspaper, as about 300 funeral attendees approached the coffin to bid the deceased their final farewell, the ceremony was suddenly left with one fewer pallbearer.
The 47-year-old, who was outside the prison under escort from the Marngoneet Correctional Center in Lara, mixed with the crowd of participants and disappeared within seconds.
It wasn't long before the prison guards – who couldn't stand next to him during the solemn moment of the funeral – realized what had happened.
But by then, he had already gotten into the back of a black Toyota Land Cruiser, which had been seen earlier in the area.
The first step for Rukaj was to remove the handcuffs.
Investigators believe this was done either by cutting the strong steel of the handcuffs with cutting tools, or by tampering with the locking mechanism.
Although 48 days have passed since the escape, authorities believe Rukaj has not left Melbourne.
On Tuesday, police raided 20 properties, mostly in the St. Albans area, frequented by Rukaj, to question his family and associates about his whereabouts. They also warned them that they could face serious criminal charges if they are found to be harboring him.
So far there have been no confirmed sightings of him, and Rukaj's past is making the investigation particularly difficult.
There has been no trace of him since the day of the funeral.
Rukaj had strong ties to the Albanian organized crime world and is suspected of having access to significant amounts of money.
“They are not amateurs,” said a source, referring to Rukaj's network of associates.
His brother, Sokoli, who died at the age of 39, had previously been charged with cocaine trafficking in connection with the seizure of 197 grams of the drug.
Rukaj had strong motives to flee, as he risked spending many years in prison if found guilty of trafficking commercial quantities of drugs.
He was facing a charge of possession of a commercial quantity of cocaine and was scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing next month.
"He risked a very severe sentence," another source said.
The escape clearly appeared to have been carefully planned and is likely to have involved several people, some of whom police believe are outside Australia.
A person, who investigators thought might have valuable information, arrived at Melbourne Airport on Thursday on a flight from Europe.
This person had visited Rukaj in Marngoneet prison before the escape and had spoken to him in recorded phone calls.
These conversations, conducted in Albanian, are still being translated by Australian authorities.
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