A video circulating on social media shows what appears to be a Chinese store owner in Tonga inspecting packs of kava during a transaction, before discovering that at least one of the packs contained a white powder suspected to be flour rather than kava.
The footage captures the shop owner carefully examining the contents of the pack and questioning its authenticity during the exchange.
In the video, the shop owner is shown inspecting several packs of kava before selecting one he appeared to suspect was not genuine.
He then opened the pack and smelled its contents before stating that it was flour rather than kava.
The dealer initially rejects the claim, responding in Tongan that it was not flour.
However, the shop owner proceeds to open the pack further and smell the contents, after which he reiterates that the substance is flour, not kava.
The moment appears to mark the point at which the alleged deception is uncovered.
As the situation unfolds, the dealer’s reaction suggests he may not have been the original source of the fake product.
In the footage, he appears to indicate that he himself may have been misled by another party who supplied the packs.
The dealer then asks the shop owner to return the kava packs so they could be taken back to the alleged owner, as the transaction comes to an abrupt halt.
The development follows earlier reporting by Kaniva News on a viral social media post that sparked widespread public concern over the possible adulteration of kava in Tonga.
In that report, Veiuto Manuofetoa shared images on Facebook that purported to show a kava product mixed with an unknown white powder. Manuofetoa claimed the substance had an unusual taste and lacked the distinctive flavour normally associated with kava.
He suggested the apparent adulteration indicated that some sellers may be prioritising profit over public safety.
