ILLEGAL WILDLIFE RAID NETS MONKEYS, TURTLES, BIRDS-2/01/00-

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Environmental-crime police fighting Brazil's massive illegal trade in tropical wildlife said Monday they had arrested seven dealers and rescued hundreds of creatures during a weekend raid. The surprise blitz caused havoc at an outdoor market Sunday. Four monkeys, 24 turtles and 272 birds - including finches, bluebirds, canaries and thrushes - were seized at the market and taken to the Rio Zoo for protection. According the National Network Against the Trafficking of Wild Animals, an estimated 12 million animals are smuggled out of Brazil every year, generating annual revenue of $1.5 billion for tropical-wildlife dealers.