The British authorities planned to use moths to control coca crops.

In the late 1980s, Margaret Thatcher's administration considered using a biological method to combat the illegal cultivation of coca in South America. The essence of the initiative was the mass breeding of the moth species Eloria noyesi, whose larvae feed on the leaves of this plant. Research was conducted by specialists at Porton Down, Wiltshire, with the government allocating approximately £100,000 to study the idea.

The project was based on an incident that occurred in the area of the Peruvian city of Tarapoto in 1987–1988. At that time, a natural insect infestation led to the destruction of about 2,000 hectares of plantations, causing damage to drug traffickers in the amount of more than 37 million dollars. The success of this natural phenomenon prompted the Peruvian authorities to seek British assistance in creating a mass moth-breeding program staffed by entry-level personnel.

Military scientists were tasked with investigating ways to cultivate the insects on a large scale for their subsequent distribution from helicopters over plantations. Margaret Thatcher personally supported the idea, considering it promising for further study.

Nevertheless, the project faced a number of criticisms. The Home Office concluded that the effectiveness of the method would be short-lived. In addition, there were concerns regarding potential environmental consequences. By the end of 1989, ministers also expressed concern that a leak of information could put project participants at risk. As a result, the plan did not go beyond the preparatory stage and was finally terminated.