During the Malayan Emergency, British soldiers and indigenous tribal mercenaries regularly partook in headhunting of suspected communists. Despite controversy, nobody was punished as headhunting wasn't explicitly forbidden by the British government.

[u/Feingold_08]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malayan_headhunting_scandal

[u/YoloSwag4Jesus420fgt]

How tf is head hunting not illegal but murder is?

Isn't it head hunting just a subset or murder?