LINCOLN – Two Mattanawcook Academy students have been suspended for 10 days and might face additional charges after school officials and police found prescription drugs on them during searches conducted at the school, police said Tuesday.

The juveniles, ages 15 and 14, were released to their parents after they were issued summonses for possession of scheduled drugs on Friday. Police seized a large quantity of pills, including Valium, during the incident, Officer Shane Hughes said.

The incident began at 9 a.m. Friday when a teacher overheard what might have been a drug transaction during a study hall, Hughes said. The teacher and an administrator attempted to question the student, a 15-year-old boy, who claimed he had a Percocet on him.

The 15-year-old became agitated and refused to be searched, so school officials called police. When Hughes arrived and a search was conducted, a small plastic bag of pills was found on the student, Hughes said.

The “Percocet” was actually a Valium, Hughes said.

As Hughes was leaving the building, school officials brought another student, a 14-year-old boy, to his attention. Officials claimed the student had tried to take a pill between classes. One pill was found on him. The 14-year-old was on medication, but police do not believe that he was taking it in school as part of any prescribed regimen, Hughes said.

Both students were suspended automatically per school policy, Hughes said. He is investigating whether either student got the pills from the other. Anyone with any information is asked to call Hughes at 794-8455. All calls will be kept confidential.