I know they don't verify everything, but from years of ordering from overseas I've learned better the portuguese customs pattern, and the bigger and heavier boxes, just like what is needed for a Hot Toys figure, is very very likely to get verified and a tax paid. And if it comes on express mail, which is what would be used for Hot Toys figures due to size and value, it's definitely going to get verified. Either I'm very unlucky or the customs for express mail verifies almost everything (the standard mail is verified apart from this, and they control express mail much more rigorously). And courier services like Fedex, etc., from outside the euro zone is the worse option as they also charge extra taxes upon arrival (shipping paid on origin + customs tax & VAT + courier tax). That courier tax is about $60... For a $165 order Fedex plus customs taxes are about $135. It's ridiculous... And it happened to me recently as it was the first time I used a courier from outside the euro zone. Never more...
With that said, and since for these figures I end up paying more with a tax than ordering from the UK, I choose UK and Kapow. But this is only valid for big and very expensive figures. People on the USA and Hong Kong (and some other countries) are really lucky, even those from the UK regarding the euro zone.
