A man on remand who skipped custody while attending his brother’s funeral has been detained after more than six months at large.

Orijol Rukaj managed to escape the supervision of Corrections Victoria officers tasked with overseeing his April visit to a Melbourne cemetery.

The 47-year-old was being held on remand at Marngoneet Correctional Centre, near Geelong, when he was escorted to Keilor Cemetery on April 25.

He was facing drug-related charges including possession of a commercial quantity of cocaine.

Despite wearing handcuffs and helping carry the casket, Rukaj was able to escape from the service.

Police said there was about 300 people at the funeral.

Witnesses told police a black Toyota LandCruiser drove him away from the cemetery.

After six months of active police searches, Rukaj was finally arrested on Friday in Bamaga, a small town in Queensland’s far north.

In a statement, Victoria Police said, “Rukaj is currently in custody in Queensland and will be interviewed by Victoria Police Fugitive Squad detectives in the coming days when they will seek extradition.”

Police did not reveal how Rukaj managed to travel interstate undetected. There had been no confirmed sightings during his time on the run.

Rukaj’s disappearance sparked widespread searches and prompted police to make a public appeal for assistance in tracking him down.

Orijol Rukaj is expected to be extradited to Victoria. Photo: Herald Sun

At the time of the June appeal, police said he was linked to Albanian organised crime but likely did not pose a risk to community safety.

Officers had identified several people based overseas believed to have assisted his escape.

Detectives previously believed he may have been hiding somewhere in Melbourne and on June 9 investigators visited 20 addresses across metropolitan Melbourne, questioning Rukaj’s family members and associates in an attempt to establish his whereabouts.

Rukaj’s escape prompted Corrections Victoria to review the circumstances surrounding Rukaj’s supervised release and raised questions over security procedures for prisoners attending family funerals.