Karma, sweet karma. Pure Bliss store owner Greg Sakas, who’s been the target of New Bern, North Carolina police chief Frank Palombo, must be laughing his ass off right now. In fact, Sakas is.

New Bern, North Carolina- Chris Palombo, son of New Bern’s police chief, has been arrested on 23 drug charges and a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

The arrest was made Monday night by Rick Ackers, a narcotics officer in the Craven County Sheriff’s Department, and another agent.

Another man, Riccardo Montevecchi, 21, was arrested when officers searched the apartment where Palombo and Montevecchi live, Ackers said.

“We got information from an informant that told us about Palombo,” Ackers said. “We started making purchases from the suspect about three weeks ago. There were five or six purchases in all that varied from cocaine to marijuana to some pills.”

Palombo, 22, was picked up by New Bern police at a traffic stop Monday, Ackers said. Police drove him to his home at 117 Copperfield Apartments, where sheriff’s investigators were waiting.

“Montevecchi showed up at the home as we were leaving,” Ackers said. “He was holding marijuana and cocaine at the time. I think he had just left to come home from work. I think he was surprised.”

Officers arrested both men about 9 p.m.

The charges against Palombo include multiple counts of selling and delivering marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, maintaining vehicles or dwellings for controlled substances and conspiracy to sell and deliver controlled substances.

Montevecchi is charged with multiple counts including possession of cocaine and marijuana, selling and delivering cocaine and conspiracy to sell and deliver cocaine.

Palombo and Montevecchi appeared in District Court on Tuesday morning. The bail for both was set at $150,000 secured.

Palombo’s father, Frank, appeared in court briefly. He was not in the office for comment Tuesday, said Ed Preston, deputy chief for the New Bern Police Department.

“Chief Palombo is on leave and he’s not available,” Preston said. “The Police Department does not have any comment about it because it’s not our case.”

Sheriff’s investigators learned about the drug activity from a friend of Chris Palombo, Ackers said. Seven agents investigated the case, he said.

“Very shortly after we did our first purchase, we knew who it was,” Ackers said. “We usually try to ID the person as soon as possible after we start an investigation. This actually went a lot faster than some cases do and, as far as I know, I don’t think his father knew anything. I don’t think he had a clue.”

Palombo and Montevecchi are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 23. [Ironically, the same date Sakas is due in court]. Both have court-appointed lawyers.